Living In The Moment
by gracedkelly
Summary: I had it all planned out. I was going to be a kick ass Auror, a mother of two and married to my gorgeous boyfriend... But then my whole life got turned upside down. What happened, you ask? James Friggin' Potter happened. Well, him, a nasty curse and our messed up potion... JamesII/OC
1. Prologue

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

_**Prologue**_

Let me start by telling you this: I absolutely loved my life. I had it all planned out. I was going to be a kick ass Auror after graduation, find myself a beautiful home, have two kids (Cian and Maeve) with my darling boyfriend and get a dog. Precisely in that order. Of course life had to come knocking on my door and ruin my whole carefully planned out future.

I'm sure you can imagine how _thrilled_ I was with that.

But allow me to start at the beginning of my story. You know, before my life turned into a romantic comedy with so many clichés it'd even annoy its own screenwriters. How do I know what a romantic comedy is, you ask? Well, my neighbour is a Muggle and has made it his life mission to turn me into a 'normal teenager'... So _of course_ I know all about romantic comedies and their sappy plot lines. (Don't ever tell anyone this, but _50 First Dates _has always been and will always be my number one favourite.)

Right. The beginning.

I've always been kind of a quiet, shy and awkward girl to outsiders. I've never really been one for small talk and like I mentioned earlier, I had my whole life planned out for me. I got the boy I wanted and I had one close friend. I was happy that way! My life was uncomplicated and didn't even have a single drop of drama in it. That all changed of course and it all started on that faithful day during my Potions class...


	2. The moment when clichés entered my life

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

**1. The moment clichés entered my life**

_"Can you dance like a Hippogriff?"_

I growled.

_ "Can you kiss me like Mermen do? Yes, kiiiiiss meeee."_

I was going to bloody well murder her. "WILL YOU SOD OFF?" I yelled, annoyed at my friend who couldn't hold a tune to save her life.

"Good morning to you too, my little Mandrake of sunshine."

"How, in the name of Merlin, can a Mandrake be of sunshine?" I muttered, pulling my pillow over my head. I have never been a morning person and I probably never will be. Usually I'm not this unpleasant - and with usually I mean, in the Summer holidays - but at Hogwarts I'm always awoken by the sweet and terrible voice of my best mate Cassandra. I love the girl with whole my heart, but in the mornings? When she is this chipper and singing and whatnot? She'd better stay away.

Of course, she rarely ever does that.

"Do not go and ruin my mood, Rosemary Kendal Woodstock." I cringed at the use of my full name and muttered incoherently into my mattress. "Now get out of bed, before that handsome boyfriend of yours goes to breakfast without us."

"Leave my handsome boyfriend out of this, Cass," I sighed, having given up on sleeping at all, and sat up. I went with a hand through my hair and looked around our dormitory. It seemed like everyone else had already left, which was rather strange. We were almost always the ones to get up first and wake up the others. "How late is it exactly?" I wondered, cursing the fact that watches didn't work at Hogwarts. I mean, sure, we're magical folk but should we completely ban everything Muggles made? Do they even have any idea of how handy a mobile phone was in a big castle like this?

"It's almost half past eight," Cassandra shrugged.

"Half past eight?" I squeaked, before I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom like a lunatic. Naturally, being the capable witch that I am, I tripped and bumped my head against the doorframe. I cried my displeasure to the heavens, while I brought my hand to my forehead. I wasn't bleeding. Thank Morgana for that, I thought, while I got up again and dashed into the bathroom. While brushing my teeth, I realized I hadn't brought any clothes with me so I ran back into the dorm.

Cassandra looked up from where she sat on her bed and laughed at me. I sent a glare her way and still giggling softly, she turned her attention back to the Witch Weekly that she was currently reading. I stormed back into the bathroom, finished brushing my teeth, put on my clothes and quickly went with a comb through my hair. Jumping up and down, while putting on my shoes, I went back to the dorm and tied my shoelaces on my trunk. "All done," I announced proudly.

"Finally," sighed Cass, while throwing her magazine back on her nightstand. "Let's go. Class is about to start."

I gave her a look. "Breakfast?"

"No time, Mandrake of mine," she shrugged, "you'll just have to wait 'til lunch."

"What about you?" I protested. How come _I_ had to wait until lunch? What about her?

"I already ate," she grinned and I gave her a slight push. "Great friend you are."

"I am," she acknowledged, "that's why you love me so."

I rolled my eyes and continued my way downstairs. Unlike what Cassandra had promised me, my boyfriend was not waiting for me there. "Where's Taran?"

"Sweetheart, I had to say _something_ to get you out of bed," Cassandra smirked, before she ran off.

I rolled my eyes, annoyed with her behaviour, and ran after her. We ran all the way to our Potions class and again I thanked Dumbledore that our common room was in the dungeons. Before you start to even think it, I'd like to make clear that I am not a Slytherin. For some reason everyone always seems to forget that another house had taken residence in the dungeons. I'm a proud Hufflepuff, thank you very much.

Our dorm mates were already standing at the door, waiting for it to open. The Gryffindors had arrived as well and were staring at us with all the haughty arrogance they could master. Or at least... _he_ was.

"Late again, Woodstock?"

"Shove it, Potter," I snarled, turning my back to him as a statement of my dislike for him. I heard him chuckle at my response, which only annoyed me more. James friggin' Potter. What's there to say? His daddy saved the world and now the little brat thinks he owns Hogwarts. Obviously, half of the school thinks so as well and worships the ground he walks on. Ah, well, to be fair I actually should say a little bit over the half of the school, since I'm sure some blokes are lusting after him as well. Perhaps if he hadn't been such a total twat to me in our first year, I'd probably lust after him too. But let it be known to the Wizarding World and beyond, I can hold a grudge like a mother guarding her child.

Heh. Not really sure were that comparison came from, but I like it. It has a nice ring to it, even if it doesn't make any sense.

But back to the annoying likes of Potter. It isn't like I'm the only one holding a grudge here, Potter would like nothing more than to hex me into oblivion... Which he has on multiple occasions, unfortunately. I've always prided myself with the knowledge that I didn't lower myself to his level by cursing him when his back was turned. I just liked to shout at him. A lot. I highly recommend it as a way to ease your mind.

"Must you?" Cass hissed, while she gave Potter a tiny wave. He must have waved back or something, because she flushed.

"I must," I solemnly said. "Now please stop crushing on my archenemy. You're starting to look like a dying fish." I stared at her in wonder. Sure the bloke was good looking, but her mouth popped open and closed again as if she was trying to think of something witty to say, but came up blank. "Seriously, stop it. You're freaking me out."

"You're a Hufflepuff," she snapped, coming out of her daze frighteningly fast, "start behaving like the loyal friend you're supposed to be and support me. You're supposed to say that he'd be lucky to have me and that he secretly wants me so bad that he has wet dreams of me. You're supposed to cheer me up when I'm down when he has a new girlfriend!"

I gave her a look. "First, then I'd have to cheer you up three times a day. Even you can't keep up with the way he goes from one to another girlfriend in only a matter of hours."

"He isn't that-"

"If you were planning on saying the word 'bad', I'd highly advice you to swallow it," I threatened, waving with my finger in front of her face just because I know it'd annoy her. "Secondly, of course he'd be lucky to have you! You're way out of his league and you could do so much better than a twat like him. Thirdly, would you really want all the media attention? Because let's face it, if you date James Potter for a time longer than three hours it would be instant front page news. Your face would be on every newspaper in the world, proclaiming either what a whore you are or how lucky _the_ son of the great Harry Potter is to finally 'have found love'." I used my fingers to stress my point. "No guy is ever worth the trouble."

Cassandra seemed to think over what I had just said, before she shook her head. "Nah, I think he is worth it."

"I don't mean to interrupt or anything," said an annoying voice from behind me, which made me stiffen and ball my fists. "But you do realize that I'm only standing six feet away from you and can hear everything you're saying?"

I turned around and faced the subject of our conversation head on. "Has no one ever told you that it's impolite to listen in on other people's conversations?"

"By the way, I do think I'm worth the trouble." He gave Cass a wink, the ratfink!

"You should keep your nose out of other people's business, Potter," I started angrily, but was interrupted before I could go on with my very impressive lecture on polite behaviour.

"You made it everyone's business when you started to go off like a banshee about how much of a manwhore I am."

"Aha!" I shouted, pointing a finger at him. "So you admit it!"

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Admit what?"

"Manwhore!" I yelled and ignored the angry protests from the girls in our small crowd that had gathered around us.

"There, there, miss Woodstock, that's no way for a lady to talk."

Potter smirked, which I pointedly ignored and turned around to see our professor standing in the doorway.

"But, professor," I began again, but he shook his head.

"I want to hear nothing of it, miss Woodstock. Detention, tonight at eight in my office."

Potter chuckled softly at that and I glared at the floor. It was so unfair that he could just go unpunished because he was the son of the great Harry Potter. I scoffed silently and entered the classroom last. I went to sit at my usual table, but professor Malcorn - I kid you not, that really is his name - shook his head. "Oh no, miss Woodstock. You're going to sit next to Mr. Potter."

"W-What?" I stammered. He couldn't be doing that to me, could he? Was he even allowed to do that? Never mind. Stupid question, I thought heavily. Of course he was allowed to do that, he was the professor after all, but still... "You can't possibly mean for me-"

"I mean precisely that, miss Woodstock. You are so perceptive today, it's astounding!"

The class laughed at my expense and I decided to glare at them all as punishment. As you can imagine they all screamed in fear.

"Professor, please, don't let me sit beside him today. We're more likely to kill each other off than get some actual work done!"

"I wasn't talking about today," professor Malcorn admonished, "I was thinking it might be better if you sat with Mr. Potter for the rest of the year."

Even Potter's smirk faded. "Professor," he protested immediately, "you can't do that!"

"I most certainly can, young man. So both of you, sit down and stop complaining, before I see myself forced to use a potion, yes?"

We all blinked at him. Sure, professor Malcorn wasn't all that sane most of the time, but it was outrageous the way he thought he could speak to his students.

"You can't talk to us that way, professor," I started, but when he gave me an evil look I hurriedly went over to Potter's table and sat down.

"Chicken," Potter muttered under his breath.

"Asshat," I replied.

Potter turned around and gave his friends, aka Fred Weasley and Oscar Wood an annoyed look. He made sure to do it in such a way that I'd notice. I growled and could hear Weasley and Wood chuckle. Annoying Gryffindors. I was in my seventh year at Hogwarts, which meant that all the houses were represented in this class. There were only three Slytherins and only five of us, Hufflepuffs. The rest of the class consisted of Gryffindors and Ravenclaws. We were largely outnumbered to say the least, not that we let that bother us much.

"So, if Mr Potter and miss Woodstock are quite done glaring at each other," the class laughed, "we could perhaps continue on with the lesson, eh?" Professor Malcorn made a wide and absurd gesture with his hands, before tapping the blackboard with his wand. On it stood the instructions of how to make a sleeping drought. "Be cautious, my dear students, for this potion is rather difficult and those who will manage to brew it perfectly, will get four extra points on their examination at the end of the year." I stared at him dumbfounded. Four extra points, really? Surely this potion couldn't be that hard that he was even willing to give away that big a reward? I bit my lip to try and stop the smile that was threatening to light up my face. I was so owning this.

"Since this potion is so hard to brew, I'd rather you all work together in pairs. I've discussed it with your other professors and instead of two hours you will be granted three hours to finish your potion."

What? We were supposed to have Defense Against the Dark Arts after this! I heard my fellow classmates whispering about it as well, which seemed to annoy our dear professor.

"Like I said before," he shouted to shut us all up, "I've got permission to keep you all here until fourth period and that's what I'm doing. Does anyone have anything worthy to mention?"

My hand shot up.

"Yes, miss Woodstock, you have to pair up with Mr Potter. Anyone else?"

I glared at him. Most of the time I adored him, but right now I wanted to chuck my cauldron at his head. Cassandra turned around in her seat and gave me a weak smile and a shoulder shrug. As if she wanted to say: "What can you do?"

I shrugged back and gave Potter the Evil Eye.

"Don't look at me like that, Woodstock. If you had just kept your big mouth shut earlier, we wouldn't be in this stupid situation to begin with," he snarled, grabbing his book and opening it at the proper page. "You'd better not suck at making potions."

Excuse me? "How dare you! It's obvious that I didn't want anyone to hear what I was saying to my best friend. I can't help it that you feel like you're so important that you have to listen to everyone's conversation in the hopes of catching them talking about you!"

Potter rolled his eyes. "You _were_ talking about me and as the subject of the conversation I felt it justified that I knew what you were talking about. Besides you screech like a banshee on her period, when you're frustrated."

"I do not!" I yelled, making several classmates turn around in their seats and stare at us.

He cringed. "You just proved my point, Hufflepuff."

"Shut your trap, Gryffindor, before I make my wand do it for you."

"I would love to see you try."

I scoffed at that. He has always underestimated my craftiness as a witch, so why would this time be any different? No matter that I'm at the top of my class in Defense and Transfiguration... No, I must be a crappy witch for sure! Stupid Potter. I stood up, got our needed ingredients and gave him a filthy look. I knew he didn't completely suck at Potions, but that didn't mean he wouldn't mess up our potion to annoy me. "Let's just work together, okay? We can go back to yelling the crap out of each other after this class."

Potter gave me a look as if to say that I was daft to even suggest a temporary peace.

"Or not," I muttered darkly. Honestly, what did all those bimbo's see in him? We started to work in silence, both of us refusing to say another word to the other unless it was absolutely necessary. I even went as far as to gesture which ingredients I needed, which of course Potter ignored haughtily. I positively growled and pushed him aside so I could reach the frog eyes. I threw them in the cauldron and noticed that we weren't even close to the midnight blue we were supposed to have by now. "Potter, our potion is green."

"Nothing gets by you, Woodstock," he said drily, while he stirred the potion with his wand and tapped the cauldron three times afterwards.

"We weren't supposed to do until that after we added the dragon's blood! What are you trying to do, Potter? Ruin our grade just so you can feel better about your crappy self?" I screeched. Okay, so maybe I could be good at imitating a banshee, but don't ever tell Potter I thought that.

"Will you please calm down, Woodstock?" Potter yelled, waving his wand around like a madman.

"Put your wand down, Potter, before somebody loses an eye," I snapped. I turned back to our potion, which now had a wonderful shade of yellow. "Look at what you've done!" I wanted to pull my hair out and heard Wood and Weasley chuckle behind us. I turned around and glared at them as well. "You think this is funny, do you? Why don't you people have normal friends, who actually care about their grades and, Merlin forbid, other people!"

"I do care about other people, I just don't care much about _your_ grades and about _you_."

"Thanks, Potter, because that was totally the point I was trying to make." I poked him in the chest and he growled.

"Do not touch me."

I made a point of waggling my finger around, before I poked his shoulder. Okay, so maybe I'm not even half as grown-up as I'd like to think, but Circe be damned if I let myself be bullied by the likes of him.

"Guys," Wood started, but Weasley but a hand on his arm and shook his head. Wise man, I thought. I was about to explode and scratch Potter's eyes out, when a Slytherin came slithering by.

"Jesus, Potter, at least try to act as if you're not an old and married couple." The Slytherin, Lucas Goyle, rolled his eyes and started to walk away.

Potter balled his fists. "What did you just say, Slytherin?"

"Seriously, what is it with you and using people's houses to address them?" I asked, annoyed endlessly.

"Shut it, Woodstock."

Goyle laughed and pointed his wand at Potter.

I decided to ignore them and focus back on our potion. We had less than two hours left to finish it and it looked like we would have to start all over again. But what if I added another owl feather? Wouldn't that counteract the dragon's blood? I shrugged and decided that that would be worth a shot. I had just dropped the feather in our cauldron, when I saw a green flash coming straight at Potter and me. It was too late to take my wand and Potter grabbed my arm to shove me out of the way just when our potion exploded, soaking us completely, and the curse hit us dead on.


	3. The moment I woke up in a nightmare

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

**2: The moment I woke up in a nightmare**

I woke up at the disco.

"Please, Mr Potter, you have to take this potion."

"Why do I have to take that? Can't you knock me unconscious too?!"

Or at least, I had _better_ woken up at a disco, because that would explain my headache perfectly, but somehow I don't think Madame Mince (Mee-nse)would be there ordering Potter to take a Potion.

Darn it.

"Don't be such a big baby," she snorted. "Your father already faced the Dark Lord at your age, _multiple times_, young man. So I should think you wouldn't be too afraid of one lousy little potion with the upbringing you have enjoyed?"

I laughed at that softly.

"Ah, good. Miss Woodstock? How are you feeling?" she asked, while she ran over to my bed with a worried expression on her face.

"Like a goblin decided to have his birthday party inside my head," I muttered darkly, while I tried to sit up. Potter sat in the bed next to mine, making a face that suggested that he indeed had followed his father's example of bravery and had swallowed the potion. From what I gather I had already taken that while I was unconscious or something. How I managed not to suffocate and die is beyond me, but looking at his face I'd probably have chosen the threat of death by suffocation over taking it consciously anyway.

"I suspect that that will pass in the next five to ten minutes, honey," she said kindly. Suddenly, without another word, she turned around and walked, or well more like marched, back to her office. I looked over at Potter. I hadn't dared ask Mince why I was there, but seeing as that Potter was there as well, I'm sure he'd love to enlighten me. "What am I doing here?" I therefore asked him.

Potter gave me an annoyed look. "You messed up our potion and some Slytherin cursed us at the same time as our potion blew up."

I frowned and had the weird sensation of memories flooding back to me. "I did not mess up our potion, Potter. If you hadn't stirred the potion before we added the blood I'm sure it would have succeeded splendidly! I'm a potion brewer extraordinaire, so clearly the fault lies with you, you pigheaded swine."

"I can't have a head like a pig _and_ be a swine at the same time. Seriously, Woodstock, get your facts straight."

I tried not to pull any hairs out. "Will you just shut it, Potter? My head's killing me," I muttered darkly. "What curse did the Slytherin hit us with?"

Potter smirked and laid back down. "Some sort of adhesive spell. I think he was trying to make us Siamese twins," he snorted, "but obviously the twat failed because it collided with _your_ messed up potion."

"_Our_ messed up potion," I corrected heatedly.

"If you say so," he smirked at the ceiling and I rolled my eyes. I turned my back towards him and stood up from my bed. I frowned at the fact that apart from my headache I seemed to be completely fine. Surely if something was big enough to put Potter and myself together in the Hospital Wing, I should have been injured more severely?! I shrugged. Whatever. I was out of here anyway, whether I would have been hurt or not. If I stayed any longer in the same room as Potter, I surely would eventually end up in St. Mungo's psychiatric ward.

I got as far as the next bed before my head started to murder me more seriously. I groaned and cringed at the pain, but headstrong I continued my way to the door.

"Good Circe, my head," Potter groaned, but I pointedly ignored him. I hoped he suffered good.

At the next bed I felt like my feet were shackled to the ground. My legs refused to move, but I pushed myself forward. At the third bed, four beds down from Potter's, I fell to the ground and screamed in pain. I rolled over the floor, clutching my stomach while my head literally felt like it might explode if I tried to move.

I heard Potter screaming as well, but it sounded far away. As if something was filtering everything I heard and only a fraction of the sound made its way to my brains.

And suddenly McGonagall was there. She tried to pull me on my feet, but when that only caused me to cry out even harder, she cursed. McGonagall _cursed_. If I hadn't been so distracted by my being tortured, I might have appreciated the sound of it. She started dragging me back to my bed and I stopped screaming. The pain gradually disappeared. I pulled myself free from her grasp and stood up by myself.

"Miss Woodstock? Are you alright?"

I blinked at McGonagall and Madame Mince, I stumbled back towards the bed and plopped down on it. "Ow," I simply said.

"Your wit, as ever, is astounding, Woodstock."

"Go get hit by a Bludger, Potter."

"You wound me."

"Oh, I'm sure I will."

"Mr Potter and Miss Woodstock, please," Madame Mince said, frowning.

I shut up, but Potter had me furious because of the incredibly smug grin he sent my way. As if he had already won a battle that hadn't even been fought yet. How I loathe the guy.

"This is very interesting," McGonagall murmured almost to herself. "I would like to conduct a little experiment if you allow me."

We all stared at her.

"An experiment?" Madame Mince asked, incredulous.

Potter raised an eyebrow and I frowned. What did she mean with conducting an experiment? Mentally I saw myself strapped down on a table, while scary doctors dressed in white stared down at me. One grinned a crazy grin while he waved his razor-sharp knife at me. It's going to hurt, his eyes seemed to tell me and I shudder.

Stop it, I tell myself sternly. McGonagall would never do anything so horrid to her students, so you might stop imagining all those horror movie scenes, Rosemary. Somehow, my own advice didn't seem to be helping at all.

How did Alice put it again? _I give myself very good advice but I very seldom follow it._ Yes, that quote would work splendidly.

"Yes, an experiment. Mr Potter, would you please come with me to my office?"

Potter sighed. "If I must."

"Now with some more enthusiasm, Potter," I snorted. "What if our dear Headmistress thinks you don't want to go to her office with her?"

Potter glowered at me, but before he even got the chance to retort anything, professor McGonagall craftily put me in my place. "Your dear professor, Miss Woodstock, can hear everything you say as she is still within hearing distance. Now, Mr Potter," she commanded, before turning on her heel and walking away from us.

With a heavy sigh, Potter jumped out of his bed with the grace of a lion on the prowl, which I couldn't help but loathe. How come when I jump out of bed I look like a little bird learning how to fly but failing miserably and rather ungracefully? I scowled. It just wasn't fair.

Potter started walking away, giving Madame Mince a quick grin in passing. My headache decided that that moment would be the perfect time to attack the mother ship and I groaned. I laid down again and closed my eyes. It seemed like my earlier migraine attack was returning and it soon became unbearable. I clutched my head and moaned, wishing, praying that it would soon end. At a certain point the pain became so unbearable again that I screamed in agony, curling up in a little ball. And then all of a sudden the pain seemed to drift away as did my consciousness.

* * *

Potter and I both were in McGonagall's office and for some strange reason she had insisted on inviting our parents as well. I felt like it would only be justified if that horrid Slytherin and his parents were called in as well, but apparently I was not so lucky.

"Good afternoon," McGonagall greeted us all and I tried not to scowl. Our opinions seemed to differ on the definition of _good_. For me good meant satisfying, enjoyable. There was nothing enjoyable about lying on the infirmary and being forced of following Potter to the bathroom. Seriously, Madame Mince, what is that all about? Maybe she had some weird fetish or something?

I didn't want to imagine what she'd ask of her lovers in bed. I cringed at the mental image I had of our dear school nurse having sex. Don't get me wrong. Mince was actually kind of a hot witch. She was in her late twenties and that at least a dozen students in my year wouldn't mind sharing a broom closet with her.

"Good afternoon, professor," _the _Harry Potter said with a kind smile. He gave me a curious look, while his wife gave me a wink.

I smiled weakly back at both of them and felt how my mother uncomfortably squeezed my shoulder. She wasn't so happy with this either. I vaguely wondered where my father was, but it shouldn't come as such a big surprise that he didn't have time to come to a school meeting... I mean, it's not like Harry Potter would have bothered coming.

Puh-lease.

"How many times, Harry? You're not a student here anymore, you can call me Minerva." Potter Junior smirked. I scowled. McGonagall raised her left eyebrow at us and I quickly put on my poker face. She nodded approvingly, which I decided to ignore.

"Very well then, Minerva. Not to rush you or anything, but may I know why we and Mrs Woodstock were called here?"

"A very good question," McGonagall said, while she gave Potter and me an intense look. I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat. For some reason I have never really been able to handle those intense looks she liked to give all of her students. "Earlier this day Mr Potter and Miss Woodstock were hit by an adhesive spell."

My mother gasped. "Good Merlin, Rosie, are you okay?"

I turned around so I could look at her and gave her a comforting look. "I'm obviously alright, mama. I'm not stuck to any teenage boys." I patted her hand gently and she frowned at me.

"Rosemary," she started threateningly, but I grinned mischievously, knowing that my mother probably wouldn't mind it very much if I was stuck to someone of the other sex. Because then I would _have_ to talk to them, which could only result in me getting married and bearing her lovely grandchildren. Yes, my mother loves me dearly, but sometimes I think her wish of being a grandparent outweighs the one of being a parent.

"As a matter of fact, Miss Woodstock, you might as well have been," professor McGonagall said gently, while I gaped at her. What is she trying to say?

"What?" was Potter's intelligent response.

"What do you mean, professor?" I corrected him quickly, glancing at my mother nervously.

"I mean that the combination of your potion and the spell created a new curse. While you are not bodily connected to each other, it seems to be impossible to separate the two of you physically. Do you remember our earlier experiment, which ultimately resulted in agonizing pain?"

Well, one couldn't say that McGonagall didn't like a bit of good old drama.

Nevertheless, I swallowed at the memory of that little experiment of hers and felt how my mother squeezed my shoulder again.

Potter nodded.

Mr Potter seemed to be very interested, while Mrs Potter had a hand before her mouth and her eyes open wide with shock. "Oh, James," she whispered.

"It seems that you cannot leave each other's side for more than five feet, without having a heavy headache. When you proceed to create space between yourself and the other, the pain quickly increases until in the end it all goes away and you fall soundly asleep."

"I thought I fainted?" I frowned. Why would I fall asleep when I was being tortured? That didn't make any sense at all!

McGonagall shook her head. "Did you feel any pain before you 'fainted', miss Woodstock?"

I frowned. "Well, no... It seemed to all have faded in the end."

She nodded. "That's because it had. The incredible pain you felt was caused by the curse, but the sleeping drought makes it so that you will fall asleep if you are too far away from one another."

"Please, tell me you have something to fix this," my mother demanded worriedly, moving around so she stood next to me now.

"Sadly, I do not. I have never even heard of such a spell, curse or potion. This is something completely unheard of, but I assure you that all of our teachers are looking for a solution and the best doctors at St. Mungo's have been warned as well."

"So what are you saying?" Potter asked rather rude.

His mother seemed to think so too, because she gave him a stern look, which caused him to look contrite. "Sorry," he mumbled and I smirked. It was nice to know that one angry look from his mother was enough to shut the mighty James Potter up.

"I am saying, Mr Potter, that it is impossible for you two to be apart for the next couple of days, weeks or maybe even months."

"Months?" I shrieked. Please tell me this is a joke. Please, please, I mentally begged whoever was willing to listen to me. It was only this morning that it seemed impossible to be Potter's Potions partner for the rest of the year, but to be literally in his company for the next couple of freakin' _months_? By Morgana and her mighty wand, that seemed impossible. "You can't possibly mean... I just... Where is he going to sleep? He can't sleep in my dorm!"

Potter seemed to like the idea of being admitted entrance to the girl's dormitory, but one look from McGonagall, and his grin faded as quickly as it came.

"No, Miss Woodstock, but we, Mr Longbottom and I, have agreed to put our faith in you. There are no other available sleeping quarters at Hogwarts, so one of you will have to make the sacrifice. I have already ordered the House Elves to move your things to the Gryffindor's boys' dormitory."

"You have what?" my mother and Mrs Potter asked faintly at the same time.

"Is this wise, Prof- Minerva?" Mr Potter asked, frowning at the whole idea.

"Please, professor, I can't share a room with that - that -"

"I dare you to finish that sentence, Woodstock," Potter said, narrowing his eyes at me.

"Don't you even think that I'm enjoying this, Potter! Please, professor, can't you just... Try any spell on us? Any at all?"

"Believe me, miss Woodstock, we have tried everything we could think off while you two were sound asleep, but nothing seems to be helping." She frowned at that and quickly shook her head. "No, you are a girl, miss Woodstock and Hogwarts has always been convinced that girls are more prudent than boys are on this matter, so it will be you who will be allowed to spend the night at another dormitory."

I moaned softly. My life was going to be hell, I was sure of it.

"There's no bed free in our dormitory, professor," Potter quickly said and for the first time in my life I praised the little intelligence he had.

I looked at our headmistress with hope.

"We are in a school for witches and wizards, Mr Potter, an extra bed was easily conjured."

Of course it was, I thought and I shook my head sadly. "There is no other way?" Mrs Potter asked and I could see that she was thinking things through. Her husband took her hand and squeezed it, which made Mrs Potter give him one of those lovely I love you smiles. I stared at them with a little bit of jealousy. My mother and father had never been lovey dovey with each other and most of the time I even thought they hated each other. There was always a lot of shouting going on at my house and the occasional TV or phone hits the wall every other Thursday.

To say that we were not one big happy family, would be the understatement of the century.

"I'm afraid not, Ginny," McGonagall sighed. "But I'm sure that nothing... inappropriate will happen."

I think I became a little green at that statement.

"Damn straight," I heard Potter mutter.

"James," Mr Potter immediately scolded.

"What does that mean?" I asked Potter hotly. Was he implying that I was not worthy of his attention? Not like I wanted it, but I was worthy of it to say the least!

"It means that I have no intention whatsoever to waste my time on you, Woodstock."

"You should only be so lucky to be _able_ to waste time on me, Potter."

He snorted at that. "Oh, really? How many guys have been lucky, hm?"

"James Sirius Potter," his mother gasped.

We both ignored her pointedly. "How dare you, you ugly slug!"

"I'm the one who's ugly?"

I gasped at that. "You go too far, Potter," I snarled. "At least I have not whored myself to half of the female population!"

"I wouldn't have been surprised if you did, Woodstock. There's a bet going around if you are even into guys."

I wanted to stand up, but my mother craftily pulled me back in my seat. "I'm going to kick your bratty ass, Potter," I snarled.

"I would love to see you try," he smirked, giving me a waggle of his eyebrows, which only enraged me further. I was going to kill him. KILL HIM.

"ENOUGH," my mother shouted. "Please, Mr Potter," she said addressing James Potter, "keep your smart mouth to yourself. And you, young lady, we are going to have a few words before I leave."

I pulled a face at that. My mother mad was nothing short of a banshee and troll combined.

"I think I am starting to see what you mean, Minerva," Mr Potter said, giving my mother a weary look, while Mrs Potter seemed insulted that my mother would address her son in such a manner. My mother's own look to her seemed to say that someone had to teach the boy some manners.

Mentally, I was secretly dancing around in my Team Mom uniform.

McGonagall pursed her lips and nodded. "If there are any other questions you can always come to me," she told Potter and me, before nodding to the door. "Now, please leave, your bantering is giving me a headache and I would like to speak to your parents for a moment."

I quickly stood up, which gave Potter no other choice but to follow me out of the door. The last thing we heard before the door fell closed behind us was McGonagall asking our parents whether they'd care for a biscuit.

* * *

I was trying to breathe, but for some reason I failed to succeed in such a simple task. I sat on my knees, with my back to the wall, staring into oblivion. I was trying to breathe, but the room seemed too small.

A hand suddenly obscured my very fascinating view of the brick wall and made me come back to the present and gulp for a large mouthful of air. I cringed when I was yet again reminded by the Devil himself that I was stuck with Potter for an unknown amount of time. Again he waved his hand in front of my face, as if he wanted to make absolutely sure that I knew that he knew that I knew he was there.

I snapped my head towards him and glared. "What?" I tried to growl, but it came out more like a whimper.

"They will fix this, Woodstock. It's not like I'm happy to be here with you either." He shrugged, as if he had no clue how to fix this.

Well, newsflash boy, neither did I! And frankly, that scared me most of all.

I liked to be in control. I liked knowing what was going to come my way and with this? I had no idea whatsoever what was going to become of me. I mean, all of a sudden I was magically glued to one of the Magic World's finest and most famous sweethearts! People were going to call me names, I knew, they would be Morgana damn awful to me, just because they would think I wanted this to happen.

And I mean... If I was like any other bimbo headed witch in this school, I probably wouldn't have minded. I would probably have hugged him to my chest and squeezed the living daylights out of him to show him how happy I was to be with him.

I would be such a lucky girl to be stuck forever with my handsome prince, who would probably sweep me off my feet and carry me off into the sunset.

Too bad for me, I wasn't like most witches in this school and too bad for Potter (and sadly, for me too) he wasn't a handsome prince, who had any ability at all to sweep me off my feet.

I hated the blasted bloke and the only way I would have hugged him to my chest, is to squeeze the living daylights out of him for good measure. I think I wouldn't even mind digging his grave while I was at it either.

"Not that I don't trust your expertise, because I know you are Mr Potter's offspring and that you are bound to be a genius," I winked, "but I think that if you wave that hand in front of my face one more time I will cut it off with a Muggle axe." His eyes widened a little, before he started to grin. "Don't you dare, Potter. Don't you, by Merlin's pants, dare." I was quite proud of myself, because this time around I actually managed to growl and sound menacing.

Of course, however, Potter dared.

He waved his hand slowly in front of my face and I screamed in rage. I don't know how he always managed to get under my skin, but by Morgana's shiny hair, his hand was going off.

"You sound like a banshee again, Woodstock," he smirked and I gracefully - yes, that even got me surprised! - jumped on my feet, while he got up as well. I advanced on him slowly, my face twisted in an ugly fit of rage.

His eyes widened a little, but his smirk didn't waver for a second. "Take it easy now, Woodstock. Breathe. You know that if I die, you're going to have to take my dead body everywhere with you. Imagine what a shock that will be on your wedding day, hm?"

"One does not die of a missing hand, Potter," I said slowly, knowing I probably looked like a crazy woman.

He took a couple steps backward and waggled his eyebrows at me. If I had thought he was afraid a second ago, he was over it now. He seemed to be his overconfident self again, which only made me madder. "You will have to catch me first, Woodstock," he laughed, before he turned around and ran.

The ratfink.

I didn't immediately follow, which resulted in a killer headache. I growled to myself that he was going to die and then started to pursue my prey.

* * *

"Do either of you want to explain why miss Woodstock has a black eye?" Mrs McGonagall asked bewildered.

I glared at Potter and he made a face that - if I hadn't known him better - I would have said looked almost apologetic. "Ratfink."

"Crybaby."

I gave him the finger and my mother gasped. "Rosemary!" she screamed in outrage. "Apologise now." She pointed at Potter as if it wasn't clear to me what she meant.

The Potters stared at me in confusion, only Mr Potter seemed to realize what my gesture meant and he was staring at me as if he wasn't sure whether to laugh or be insulted. It was a Muggle gesture that I picked up when I was rather little from our neighbour. It meant something rather obscure and I had been told that the punishment of the finger was something rather severe and rude.

I thought Potter deserved something severe and rude, hence me giving him the finger.

"That was not very polite, miss Woodstock," Mr Potter said admonishing softly.

"Giving me a black eye isn't either," I scoffed, forgetting for a minute that I was talking to _the _ Mr Potter. When, however, that realization hit me, I flushed. "Sorry."

The attention of the room shifted from me to Potter and he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I already said I was sorry."

"I already told you I didn't believe you."

"Blimey, woman, you shouldn't have jumped me then!"

"You should work out more, Potter, we wouldn't have fallen to the floor if you could at least carry me."

"I can carry you fine," he snapped, "but you jumped me like the crazy banshee that you are and _that_ is why we fell."

"James," his mother snapped, "behave."

"Rosemary Kendal Woodstock tell me how you got the black eye or I swear to Merlin I will ground you when you come home for the Christmas holidays, do I make myself clear?" My mother looked at me, her eyes ablaze with fury. Her hands were on her hips and she was biting her lip, which told me she was trying very hard not to pull out her hair out in frustration.

My mother was the queen of mood swings and angry glares.

I looked at my knees and bit my own lip. "Yes, mama," I whispered and when I looked up again, her eyes seemed to have softened a little. "We were rolling over the floor and Potter's elbow hit my eye."

"So you were behaving like a couple of baboons, as you usually do, and then, while you were into a fight _again_, Potter's elbow hit your eye socket by accident?"

I swallowed and nodded.

"Well then," Mr Potter said, breathing a sigh of relief, "that's that. Now, Minerva, if you don't mind I would like a talk with my son."

"As would I with my daughter," my mother immediately chimed in.

I sighed, this was not going to be pretty. I have always told my mother almost everything there was to know about my life, so of course she knew the ongoing mutiny between Potter and myself. She didn't approve of it and always told me to try and fix things with the sod, but she hasn't succeeded yet.

I got up from my seat and followed my mother out of the office and when I looked over my shoulder I saw that Mr Potter had grabbed Potter's arm and was following us down. My mother marched past the Great Hall, where lunch was currently served and out on the Hogwarts' grounds. She stopped halfway towards the Forbidden Forest and turned around. The Potters were standing right next to us but Mr Potter seemed to have put a silence charm around us all. I could see their mouths moving - I had to snicker a little as Potter was obviously being told off by his parents - but I couldn't hear a thing.

I turned to my own mother and cringed when I saw the look on her face. "What were you thinking?" she screamed. "Can't you behave yourself for one semester, Rosemary? I know you don't like the boy, but then don't become Potions partner with him!"

"We didn't have a choice," I muttered darkly.

"What was that?" she screamed and I cringed again, looking at Potter from the corner of my eye. Merlin, my mother was frightening when she was like this.

But at least I had some comfort at the fact that Potter was staring at his feet too. "Nothing, I'm sorry. Please continue." I looked at the ground and put my hands behind my back, knowing that if I looked up right now I would only make it worse.

My mother sighed and her hand closed around my chin, gently forcing it up. "Please, look at me when I'm talking to you, Rose."

"You weren't talking to me," I whispered, blinking the tears away, "you were shouting."

All the fight seemed to leave her body at once and she pulled me close. "I'm sorry about your black eye, honey. You really should let Madame Mince look at it. I'm also sorry I shouted at you, but you have to be more careful. What would your father say if he found out about how you behaved towards poor Mr Potter?"

"I don't think the Potters are _poor_, mama."

She rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep the smile off her face. "Rosemary," she chastised me and I giggled, happy that the mood was lifted. Her smile slipped off her face a little and she let go of me. "Now, Minerva told us that this is a problem she cannot immediately fix and we thought it would be wise if you two got over these... feelings you have towards one another."

"We decided?" I echoed.

"The Potters, Minerva and me. We thought it would be wise to let things be for a little while, at least until you two don't want to kill each other anymore. I think you will find that the young Mr Potter is perhaps not as bad as you seem to think, honey."

I scowled at that. When did this happen? When did she decide that she wasn't on my side anymore? I looked away from her and crossed my arms in front of my chest, well aware that I was behaving like a petulant child. I instead focused my attention on Potter, who looked like a chicken ready for its take-off. He was flailing his arms around in agitation and he had an angry look in his eyes, which I always had thought only I could bring on his face. Good to know that there are others who could piss Potter off. From the rapid movement of his lips, I guess that he was shouting at his parents. How I sometimes wished I could shout at mine...

"Rose," she sighed, "don't be that way. You will thank me later because of this. Now, how are classes going?"

I ignored her and asked her a question of my own. "What are you going to tell Father?"

My mum seemed to hesitate. "I'm just going to tell him that a student cursed you and Mr Potter and that you are now stuck with each other."

"Not about..." I gestured to my eye helplessly.

She shook her head. "You know how he gets," she said softly and kissed my forehead quickly. "I also told the Potters that the young Mr Potter will join us for the first week of the Christmas holidays and that you will stay with them for the second."

"With New Year's?" I asked disbelieving. Surely she couldn't be serious about this nonsense? New Year's Eve was my favourite holiday! I loved how the Muggles shot their fireworks in the air, without any magic at all! I couldn't for the life of me understand why all those 'purebloods' hated Muggles so much... I always thought that they should get some credit for having such an amazing technology.

But back to the point I was trying to make earlier... She couldn't be serious! I could NOT spend New Year's Eve with Potter! I just couldn't! "I can't stay with the Potters for New Year's Eve, mama!" I screamed, ready to let go of all my frustration.

"Rosemary, you will not fight me about this," my mother said softly, her eyes turning a shade darker. I hated it when her moods shifted so quickly, but I wasn't going to let myself be intimidated by her right now.

"I don't think you understand. I am stuck with the only boy I hate more than Dementors!" I yelled. "Don't you get how impossible this is for me? I cannot be with him for every hour of every Morgana damned day for the next week, let alone the next couple of months! And I will refuse," I spat, "to celebrate the holidays with that piece of good for nothing!"

My mother took a dangerous step towards me and the look in her eyes made me want to cringe, scurry away to a dark corner and weep.

"Watch out, Rosemary," she whispered softly and I looked at my feet for a tiny second, before looking up.

"No. Can't you switch weeks? Please, mama," I asked, lowering my voice. Fine, I'd spend New Year's Eve with Potter if I had to, but I would be doing it on my own conditions!

"No," she glowered, "and that's the end of it."

I unwisely opened my mouth to reopen the discussion she had so quickly dismissed, but Potter had suddenly marched away from us all and I fell to my knees. I whimpered and my breath quickened. "Potter," I whispered, trying to get up and I looked around.

I saw that he was staring at me from a little bit farther away. If he continued his way to the castle for three more steps, we would both be rolling around the ground in agony. Mr Potter went to his son and pulled him to his feet. Potter, however, shrugged his father's hand off his arm and walked towards me with big, certain steps and pulled me on my feet. Without saying anything, he grabbed my wrist and dragged me with him, leaving our wide-eyed parents staring after us.


	4. The moment I made passionate love

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

_****__**Hi y'all! I want to thank you so much for sticking around even though I have been the worst kind of writer! I've gone to Scotland for two weeks and am no in the middle of my exams, so things are going kind of slow. But I just wanted to say thank you so much for your reviews and follows. You're the best. Cookies all around!**_

* * *

**3: The moment I made passionate love**

"Potter, will you let go of me!" I screamed, trying in vain to pull my wrist out of his grasp. "Do you have any idea how much trouble I am in, just because you felt like dragging me off like a doll?!"

"Don't be such a princess, Woodstock, your mum will survive," Potter spat.

I just scoffed and made a beeline for the Great Hall, knowing that dinner would be served in about five minutes. I still had a faint headache from the stunt Potter pulled _and_ my black eye which he also conveniently had caused. I prayed to Merlin Taran would be there, as I didn't really fancy another trip to Madame Mince. Potter didn't say a thing and followed me. When we entered, I moved straight to the Hufflepuff table, while Potter moved towards the Gryffindors.

I stopped when I felt the headache growing. "Potter," I said, turning around and crossing my arms. "My table is that way," I said nodding to where my boyfriend was staring at us.

Potter gave it a distasteful look, which told me he was _not_ impressed by it. "I'm sorry, Woodstock," he said in such a way that implied he wasn't sorry in the slightest, "but I'm not going to sit over with the _Hufflepuffs_." He rolled his eyes as if the idea alone was ridiculous.

"Shut your hole, Potter, and follow me to my table or be prepared to eat your dinner standing," I snarled, not moving an inch.

He raised an eyebrow and took a step towards me. He stopped right in front of me and mimicked my pose, making me feel like a child. "Then we are going to eat our dinner standing."

I shrugged not bothered in the least and waved my boyfriend over. I turned around to Potter again and smirked. That's right! I smirked! Puh! Take that lousy, bratty Potter!

He raised his eyebrows again and looked like he was ready to grovel at my feet.

Not.

"Hi Taran," I said, feeling happier already. I gave him a quick kiss and he hugged me sideways.

"What happened to your eye?" he asked, before taking out his wand and healing it in a swift motion as I'd hoped he would. Did I tell you yet that my darling boyfriend was a genius with healing spells? He was very serious about becoming a Healer someday and I just knew he was going to excel at it.

"I'll tell you later," I said, smiling weakly, not wanting to discuss this in front of the whole school.

Taran thought this over for a minute, before he nodded slowly. "Where were you today?" he asked, pointedly ignoring Potter.

You see, that's why I loved Taran so much. He respected my feelings towards certain individuals and supported me whether he agreed with them or not. My boyfriend was someone I knew I could always count on. He was sweet and kind, not to mention totally hot in his boxers. His blond hair was always styled nicely and his blue eyes always twinkled with laughter and love when he looked at me.

I know, I know what you're thinking right now. Twinkled with laughter and love? Obviously she's hallucinating... Well, I'm not. Everybody who had ever laid eyes on us, knew that Taran adored the ground I walked on and I liked it that way.

Cassandra often called me too controlling when I went off about my future life plans, but Taran just was the perfect kind of guy for the life style I had in mind.

He would provide for a warm, large and safe home and his arms would always be there to embrace me after a long day of work.

If that isn't love, I don't know what is.

"I was... detained. Some Slytherin decided he couldn't look upon Potter's face anymore and he-"

Potter quickly interfered. "Do you have to be here?" he asked Taran with a murderous look on his face.

I crossed my arms again, dismayed that I was interrupted. "Potter," I hissed, "keep your mouth shut."

"Come over to the table, honey," Taran said, rather stylish in his ignoring Potter.

I smiled and felt how my erratic heartbeat calmed, by just being near him. I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "I can't, I'm having a standoff," I whispered.

"Just leave him be, babe, he isn't worth the trouble he causes." He kissed my cheek gently. See what I mean? He's just there, right there, on the same page as I am.

My smile broadened and I ignored the gagging noise Potter was making. It wasn't that because he was incapable of making one of his flings last, that we all should be miserable and alone alongside him. "I can't, I'm literally cursed to his side."

Taran frowned and took a step back. "What?"

"She means that she's from now on forth sitting next to me at any kind of meal, class and everything in between," Potter said haughtily, which made me roll my eyes.

"Be careful I don't stab out your eyes with my fork, while I'm sitting next to you at any kind of meal, class and everything in between," I snapped and turned back to my very confused and slightly angry boyfriend.

"You're dating him?"

"Don't be silly, Taran," I said softly, cautiously as if I was talking to a scared animal. I couldn't lose Taran over this, I thought frantically to myself. Who else was I going to marry?! "My gagging reflex makes it impossible to date him," I assured him and his eyes started twinkling again. "You're the only one for me," I told him truthfully, before I kissed him gently. He pulled me closer and smiled against my lips.

"Great, now that Romeo is assured that Juliet isn't going to run off with the guy who's twice the man he is, could we move on to dinner? I'm starving?"

I groaned against Taran's lips. "I'm going to murder him."

Taran grinned and gave me a quick peck. "What is going on now? Seriously?"

"I told you," I started, but Potter cut me off.

"McGonagall decided to experiment on us," Potter told Taran briskly, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "We are not allowed to leave each other's sides for more than five feet or all of our privileges will be taken from us."

I stared at him, dumbfounded. What?

"Why on Earth would she do that?" Taran asked, confused.

Yes, why?

"Apparently we had a row one too many."

Taran blanched, before his eyes flashed angrily. He gave Potter a push. "You _punched_ her?" he snarled and I couldn't help but stare at him in mild surprise. I had never seen my boyfriend so angry.

"I - what?" Potter asked, frowning.

"Punched her. Who else would have given her a black eye like that?" Taran yelled, pushing Potter away from us again. "I'm going to bloody murder you, Potter!"

I bit my lip and shook my head. "Taran," I whispered, grabbing his arm and squeezing it gently. "I'm fine, you see?" Taran ignored me and grabbed his wand. He pointed it at Potter's chest and I felt how the whole Hall fell in silence. Their stares burned my skin and I felt myself blush. "It wasn't Potter, Taran," I lied quickly, "I told you I would tell you later, remember?"

Potter smirked, which _so_ wasn't helpful. I was lying to my boyfriend to keep the peace, even though I would love for Taran to kick some legit Potter ass. I just didn't want him to do it in front of all the teachers, who were watching our little confrontation with much amusement.

Taran studied my face and then nodded. "I will expect a detailed report from you later," he warned and I pecked his cheek, because he was so hot while defending me.

Potter rolled his eyes, unsurprised by the whole situation. "So, like I was saying before this," he gave Taran a filthy look, "person interrupted me. McGonagall thought we could use some interference."

"Potter," I started, wanting to know what he was going on about, but his pointed look told me to keep my mouth shut or else.

I frowned at that. What in the name of... "James Potter," I said slowly, feeling how my heartbeat started racing again in agitation.

"Woodstock, it's not like I'm happy about this either," he snarled, "but you moaning on and on about it is not going to make it better." He was obviously trying to divert my attention from the issue at hand and to my later dismay he succeeded.

"I do not moan," I snapped, wanting to smack the living daylights out of him again.

"Like Merlin you don't. It's all you ever do, unless you're screaming at me like a crazed banshee!"

"Stop comparing me to a banshee, Potter," I hissed.

Taran interrupted us, obviously tired with Potter's behaviour. "Potter, shut up, before I make you."

"You and what army, Jones?"

Taran ignored him yet again. "So? You coming?" He asked, taking my hand in his and nudging me softly to the Hufflepuff table.

"You aren't that bright, are you?" Potter asked, looking at my boyfriend with an amused look. I hesitated and looked at Potter, who just shook his head decisively. I sighed, frustrated at how illogical this situation was. Honestly, what had I done in a past life that deserved this kind of crap?

"Fine," I sighed, realizing there was no escaping my fate. "I'm going to eat dinner at the Gryffindor table, honey, okay?" I gave him a quick kiss and whispered in his ear that I'll make sure that I'd be there for breakfast.

"What do you mean? Aren't you coming to the common room?"

I bit my lip, but I just couldn't tell him I wasn't sleeping in my own bed. He wasn't going to be okay with that. "Yes, I am, but I won't return until after curfew," I reassured him quickly, ignoring Potter's scoff. What else could I do? It wasn't like my _boyfriend_ would appreciate me spending the night at another boy's dorm! "Don't wait up, okay? I'll find you tomorrow morning."

Taran hesitated, as if he knew I was lying through my teeth and I hated every second of it. I swallowed and finally he nodded. "Okay," he whispered, before pulling me close and giving me a lovely kiss. "I love you."

I kissed the top of his nose and smiled gently, thanking my lucky stars that I had met this great guy. "I love you too."

"Dear Merlin, how do your friends stand it?" Potter exploded.

I pulled my hand free from Taran and turned around, my hand balled in a fist. I was so done playing nice. "What, Potter? How do my friends stand _what_?"

Potter seemed unaffected by the poison I had laced through my words. "You two being all lovey dovey all the time. It's so sweet, my teeth ache," he complained and I smacked him on the back of his head, full well knowing that I looked positively ridiculous while doing so. Potter was so tall, I had to stand on the tips of my toes to even be able to reach the back of his head to smack it.

He chuckled. "Turning to violence already, Woodstock?"

I pointedly ignored him and shook my head. Was this how it was going to be for the rest of the school year? Potter saying something hurtful, me ignoring him, Potter saying something again and me hitting him?

Not that I minded hitting him, but honestly? I'd rather be sleeping in Taran's dorm instead of his, if I had any say in the matter that is. Which obviously, I hadn't.

I sighed and gave Taran a weak smile and a little wave, before I let Potter drag me off to the Gryffindor table. I ignored all the stares and hushed whispers we were getting.

"So, do you always lie so much to your perfect little boyfriend?" Potter laughed.

I gave him an angry look and wished he'd drop dead at my feet, so I'd have the satisfaction of walking over his corpse. "If you'd died, Potter," I said finishing that thought, "I'd dance on your grave."

Potter loudly laughed at that.

Exasperated with the being that was James Potter, I stalked towards his friends and plopped down over Rose Weasley and next to Wood.

"What is she doing here?" Rose asked curiously, giving Potter a look.

"I knew that you two couldn't be without each other," Wood teased us with a big grin. I glared at him until that grin went away and then I grabbed some food and threw - Yes, _threw - _it on my plate.

Potter sniggered. "I think your boyfriend gave up much too quickly, Woodstock."

"The way you're continuously talking about my boyfriend, makes me think you're jealous of me, Potter."

"Of you? For what being in a relationship?" Potter asked, disbelievingly.

"No, for being in a relationship with him. Got a little crush there, Potter?" I snarled, before stuffing my mouth full with food, hoping I'd embarrass everyone and they'd send us back to the table I belonged at.

"She got you there, mate," Weasley shouted, while the rest of Potter's friends laughed at his expense.

I smirked at that, which couldn't possibly have been a pretty sight because of all the food stashed in my mouth.

"Gross," Rose Weasley said, giving me a look. "What is she doing here?" she asked again, the curiosity had slipped from her voice and what remained was pure annoyance.

Nice meeting you too, Queen Bee, I thought, happily eating away. I even considered chewing with my mouth wide open, but perhaps that was taking it a little too far.

"I'll tell you when we are out of public," Potter whispered.

I scoffed at that, which made him look at me warningly. He was allowed to tell his friends the truth, but I wasn't even permitted to tell the same thing to one single person? That person being my boyfriend? "We made passionate love in the Forbidden Forest after our potion exploded and Potter's embarrassed because of it. I took an Unbreakable Vow to not leave his side for even one minute." I gave Rose a look. "You know how men are... They're always afraid we're going to admit just how small their penises really are."

Rose, who was just drinking from her pumpkin juice, seemed to be suffocating in her drink. Her cousin helpfully slapped her back a few times, while Wood just outright stared at me.

"You two, what?"

Potter gave me a dark look. "It's not that at all."

I gave the area below his waste a disappointed look. "Indeed, it's not _that_ at all."

Rose started to cough harder, as Wood started to laugh.

"Woodstock!" Potter yelled.

"Potter!" I mocked him.

He glared.

I glared.

The rest of the school stared.

And thus went my first dinner at the Gryffindor table.

* * *

You have got to be kidding me, I thought, while my fingers tapped the table. I was currently sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room. And the whole room was covered in gold and red. Gold _and_ red. I know that those are their house colours, but come on... My eyes were hurting, the colours were just so bright from what I'm used to that I thought I was destined to continue my life with a permanent headache.

And as if that wasn't bad enough, Potter was whoring himself _right_ _next to me_. I gave him and the annoying blond sitting on his lap an irritated look. Seriously? I crossed my arms to stop myself from tapping the table again and looked around. Surely there would be someone who was willing to talk to me? Someone I knew? Someone I liked?

"Does she have to be here?" the bimbo asked, frowning. "I don't feel very comfortable."

Potter smirked and whispered something in her ear, making her giggle.

"No, no. It is kinky, but-"

Good god. Was he using me for one of his fantasies now too?!

Potter interrupted her again and when he was done whispering Morgana knew what kind of talk in her ear, she giggled again and started kissing him once more.

I snorted in disgust. Was this how I was going to spend the rest of my school year? Watching Potter make out with almost everyone, while I couldn't even be near my own boyfriend? This sucked.

I sighed again, trying to at least will them to stop with my disgust, but alas. Potter didn't seem bothered by it.

"Enjoying yourself?" Someone asked with a small smile. She had brown hair and beautiful green eyes that I had always envied.

"Not at all," I muttered darkly.

Irena gave me a sad smile. "I don't mean to be rude or anything, but... why are you here? You're a Hufflepuff, right?"

I rolled my eyes at the question. Of course I should have expected the biggest mess from Potter's biggest fan. Irena Buchmacher was Potter's off and on again girlfriend. If the bimbo on his lap was any indication, it seemed that currently it was off again. I noticed how the image made her cringe, but I had to admire her bravery in coming to me at all, while ignoring the couple to my right. "McGonagall decided that torturing us was the best way of making us friends," I told her, sticking to Potter's story for once. Perhaps it wasn't that bad an idea to keep the truth from coming out? I didn't want to be in the tabloids as 'the desperate witch that cursed James Potter to her side.'

Irena laughed at that. "I have no idea what you are talking about," she said honestly, still smiling kindly at me.

I sighed. "We're not allowed to leave each other's side until we're told otherwise. She put some sort of tracking spell on us or something."

"Ah," Irena said, "that must be hard for you."

I studied her face carefully, looking for something that would tell me that she was mocking me as I thought she was. But her face was sincere and I thought she really must have meant what she said.

"It can't be easy for you either," I said softly, glancing at the snogging couple next to us.

Irena ignored my comment completely. "For how long are you stuck with him?"

I shrugged. "She didn't say. Until she thinks us friends, I guess."

Potter chose that moment to take notice of her presence. "Irena," he murmured, confused.

"James," she greeted him calmly, not showing at all how his whoring had rattled her. I had never really spoken to Irena before, figuring she was probably like all the other girls he had dated. Even though Irena seemed to be the only steady girl that kept returning to his life, I thought that he must have just used her for broom closet privileges as well. Judging from the emotion in Irena's eyes, I was wrong. She really cared and was really hurting.

"By all means, carry on," she said, waving to the girl on his lap who was trying to get his attention back to her lips.

I rolled my eyes in disgust. "By all means, stop," I groaned. "My eyes are burning as it is. I don't need an encore."

Potter smirked. "You're just jealous that you're not getting any tonight, Woodstock."

"And whose fault is that, Potter?" Not that I had ever "gotten any" from my boyfriend yet, but that wasn't his concern.

Irena laughed at that. "I think I'll grow to like you after all," she said softly.

Perhaps she wasn't the witch I had thought she was. Without another word, Irena gracefully got up and walked away. I saw her sit down with the her friend, Elena. I had never spoken a word to Elena, but I knew from others that she was really shy and didn't often talk to anyone else besides Irena. Elena wasn't the skinniest girl around, but I liked the way she carried her body. She may be shy about who she was, but she certainly wasn't embarrassed that she wasn't as skinny as her best friend. I could respect that. While Elena had dark brown hair, Irena's was a special shade between blonde and red. I saw Elena patting Irena comfortingly on the back and saying something to her. Irena shrugged.

I smacked Potter on the back of his head.

"Ow," he cried, "what was that for?!"

"You know what that was for," I told him, giving his bimbo an annoyed look.

"What are you looking at?" she snarled.

I rolled my eyes, not wanting to be a real bitch, but not feeling like I was left another choice. "Please go play with your barbie dolls, baby girl," I said sweetly.

"What are barbie dolls?" she asked dumbly, blinking.

I smiled. "Look in the mirror, honey, you'll get it." I made a shooing gesture.

"That wasn't necessary," Potter said, while he looked at the girl's retreating back.

"I know, but it was worth it." I gave him a look and looked back to Irena, wondering how such a sweet girl had ever ended up with a prick like him.

"Sometimes, Woodstock, I really wonder about you," Potter muttered darkly.

* * *

"She is not sleeping here, is she?"

I smiled sweetly. Not exactly the warm welcome with the much needed hugs I was expecting, but eh.. I'll take it. "Hi Weasley, nice to see you too."

Weasley growled. "You can't be serious, James."

James went with a hand through his hair. "I don't really have a choice, man." He quickly explained to Wood and Weasley what really had happened to us and I rolled my eyes.

"So you are allowed to tell your friends what has happened, but I'm not even allowed to speak to mine for longer than ten minutes?" I complained petulantly.

"Shush," Wood shushed me, making me narrow my eyes at him.

"Did you just shush me?" I asked.

Potter laughed. "Our dorm, our rules, Woodstock. I'd suggest you indeed shush it."

I gave him a look and rolled my eyes. "Your _dorm_, Potter, looks like a bomb exploded in it and the dwarves decided to have a house warming party in it," I snarled. "It's sickening," I added, giving the underwear covered floor a disgusted look.

"Sorry, ma'am, but we don't aim to please here," Potter said easily, lying back in his bed. I gave mine a look. I tried moving it away from his, since it was put right beside it, making it almost a double bed, but no such look. It seemed like the bed was stuck to the floor. Joy.

I muttered something under my breath, before sitting down on the bed carefully. I wasn't exactly afraid it would bite me, as Potter immediately suggested, but this was beyond weird. I hadn't even spend the night in my boyfriend's dorm yet and all of a sudden it was expected of me to share a room with five other boys? Where was the logic in all of this?

"So you're here to stay?" Wood asked, giving me a dazzling smile that had many girls grovelling at his feet.

"Apparently," I mumbled miserably. It stank. Their dorm stank. I gave them all a annoyed looked and kicked off my shoes. "If anyone of you comes even near me while I'm asleep, I'll make sure you won't ever have children," I threatened, grabbing my night clothes from my trunk before briskly walking towards the bathroom. Potter dutifully followed me, but I shut the door in his face quickly. I wasn't ready for _that_ kind of relationship with the git. I quickly changed in my tank top and shorts, before walking back in. I ignored them all, while jumping over their dirty underwear and laid down on my bed, wishing for the curtains any other bed had. I pulled Potter's shut and hid myself under my blankets. This was going to be a long night.


	5. The moment when Potter's behind kills me

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

******Hi everyone! Thanks for reading and I'm actually planning of doing some speed writing and updating again later this week! Wish me luck! :D**

* * *

**4: The moment when Potter's behind kills me**

"BLIMEY WOODSTOCK!"

"WAKE THAT BLASTED WOMAN UP, POTTER."

"It's not my fault she sleeps like the dead, _Wood_."

I grumbled sleepily. Could the annoying person trying to shake me awake, please cease doing so?! Not to mention all the shouting... Was that really necessary so early in the morning? Blasted boys. I turned on my stomach with an oof and tried to go back to sleep.

"Wake up, Woodstock, or I swear to Merlin you will not like what will happen to you."

"POTTER. ASK HER WHERE MY UNDERWEAR WENT."

"WILL YOU BLOODY WELL STOP SHOUTING?"

Exhausted with the attempt of going back to sleep, I turned around and sat up in my bed. "What's your problem?" I asked the room disdainfully.

"The problem," the room - yeah, okay, Wood - answered angrily, "is that all of my briefs are GONE."

"Gone with the wind," I nodded, while I faked a sad expression. "Poor you. It must be hard to know that even your briefs didn't like you enough to stay around..." Okay. So maybe I kind of, maybe may have cleaned out the room when it was keeping me awake last night. I mean... How do these boys even sleep in a room like this?! It's super strange that they were even capable of being in it! I just don't get them. Don't you want to have your room in order? To know exactly where everything is so you just have to decide what it is that you're wearing and not what it is what you will find to wear?

Wood seemed to want to attack me, but Weasley grabbed his arm just in time.

I made a face. Violent lot, them.

"What did you do with them, woman?!"

I rolled my eyes. Dramaqueens too, apparently. "I sent them to the elves for a wash and told them to put them in your closet when they're clean again."

"You have no right-"

"I have every right," I snapped. "Maybe you baboons are comfortable living like packrats but I am not! And I will be damned before I will let you make me into such a monstrosity."

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" Wood shrieked.

Yes. Shrieked. It wasn't pretty. His arms started failing around, hitting Weasley more than once in the face and their other roommate just stared at us all in a daze. As if he couldn't believe where he was or what was happening or what his name was. My money was on the latter. He really did look like someone who wouldn't have a clue who he was.

Gryffindors. I rolled my eyes again.

"Make her leave, Potter," Weasley whined, rubbing his nose with one hand, while still trying to hold on to Wood with the other.

"I can't make her leave! Then I'll have to leave too," Potter said frowning. "It's seven o'clock in the morning! You can't make me leave."

Good Morgana and all her little minions, Potter's inner dramaqueen has joined the party. Joy.

"I don't know about you, but I'm going to take a shower," I announced, rolling off my bed in what should have been an elegant manner, but ended up being more awkward than anything else with four boys staring at me.

I ignored them all and crawled over to my trunk where I pulled out a clean uniform and hid my underwear between them. Nobody needed to know that I liked to wear underwear with little bears on them. Or that my bra was black with pink dots on it. I stood up quickly and saw that Potter was grabbing what I had left of his clothing quickly.

"What are you doing?" I asked incredulously.

"Taking a shower," Potter answered with a grin.

I frowned. "No, you're not. I am going to take a shower, Potter."

"And the shower is on the other side of the bathroom. Too far away for me to just stay on the other side of the door."

I felt the color leave my face. I ran to the bathroom and my stomach sank when I saw how far the shower was from the door. I bit my lip and tried not to pout. I would not let them show it affected me in any way. I would not!

"You can't take a shower with me! I shower NAKED, Potter!" I freaked out, staring at him wild eyed, while he seemed very relaxed. Drat him.

"We all do, Woodstock," he said, his eyes laughing at me.

I poked him in the chest. "You are NOT going to see me naked!" I poked him once more for good measure. He could just forget about that.

"Apparently I am," Potter grinned.

"No, you're not."

"Then you're not going to take a shower?" he asked amused, giving me a look as if he could feel the panic rising inside me. I couldn't not take a shower! I needed a shower. I had just slept and people sweat in their sleep. I was covered in sweat and I needed a shower.

I felt so friggin' dirty all of the sudden that I considered how bad it could be if someone saw me naked. After all no one had ever seen me naked beside my mother and my neighbour when we were children. "You will close your eyes at all times," I snarled, grabbing his arm and pulling him inside the bathroom.

Was I really going to do this? Could I? Was I brave enough?

I bit my lip and grabbed a hold of the sink, before I fell down on my arse. I couldn't do this. I hated Potter and I wanted my boyfriend to be the first one to actually see me naked beside my mother and my insane neighbour.

"Sheesh, Woodstock, breathe," Potter said, eyes wide. He started patting me on the back, I only knocked his hand away when the patting became more like knocking.

"I can't. I can't do this," I gasped, staring at myself in the mirror.

Potter stared at me as if I were insane and shook his head. "Listen, Woodstock, you are going to have to shower at some point and I am sorry that I cannot make this easier on you by just disappearing, but I'll be good practice?" he asked hopefully.

"How do you imagine that?"

"If my disappointed reaction doesn't face you, I'm sure your boyfriend's won't either."

I smacked him on the head for that one. "How dare you." I smacked his arm and was about to go for a meeting with his face, when his eyes flashed and he grabbed my wrist with what must have been inhuman strength.

"Hitting is not nice, Woodstock," he snarled.

I blinked, shocked at his reaction. "Telling someone she's ugly isn't either!" I snapped back. Who did he think he was?!

Potter squeezed my wrist for a moment, before releasing it. "Don't do it again," he simply muttered, before turning around.

"What are you doing?" I asked his back. I was annoyed and at the end of my wit and it wasn't even eight AM yet. Couldn't this day just be over?

"Turning my back so your highness can take a shower. Seriously, this isn't even worth the drama," he muttered to himself.

I decided to ignore the implied insult and got on with it. I dashed into the shower and pulled the shower curtain closed. I quickly undressed myself, throwing my clothes behind the curtain, on the floor. I turned on the faucet and sighed happily when the hot water reached my skin. I wanted to linger underneath it, where all was safe and warm, but being raised by my parents had taught me to be a fighter. You just had to be a fighter in our family or you'd drown.

I wasn't going to allow this shower to drown me.

I smelled some of the shampoos and used the one I disliked least and quickly finished up washing myself. I turned around, ready to reach for a towel, when I realized I had forgotten one.

"Shoot."

"What is it, Woodstock?" Potter asked, sounding completely and utterly bored.

Strange man. Did he even know there was a naked girl in his shower?

Then again, why did I want him to realize that?

I shook my head, hoping to shake those weird thoughts right out of it, before clearing my throat. "I forgot my towel."

Potter sighed. I heard him walking around, before a towel showed up above the shower curtain. I had to stand on my toes to get to it, but I managed to do so and quickly dried myself. I wrapped the towel around my body and carefully pulled the curtain back.

Potter was sitting on the floor not too far away from me, with his back to the shower.

"Your turn," I muttered, hoping he'd get on with the shower so I could properly dress myself.

Potter didn't say anything, while swiftly undressing himself and my eyes were about to pop out of their sockets as he didn't seem to be embarrassed at all. But then again... This was James Potter we were talking about. He had the body of a god, so what did he really have to worry about anyway?

I hated the fact that he was so hot. I mean, I might hate him with whole my heart, but that didn't mean I was blind... That boy was a total hottie and he knew it too, unfortunately. It made me think about Irena and Elena's pitying look and I gritted my teeth. He was the devil in disguise, I told myself and I felt bad for every girl who ever thought he was an angel sent down to rescue some damsel in distress.

When he was about to go for his boxers, I turned around quickly. Good Merlin, didn't he feel at least a little bit awkward about this whole situation?

Of course not, I thought to myself, crossing my arms in anger, he had shagged at least half of the female population of this school. Who cared if one more girl saw his naked butt parading around the bathroom?

I huffed. That reminded me. "How could you do that to her?" I asked the door, glaring at it as if it had personally offended me.

"Do what?" I heard him ask, while the shower curtain ruffled softly. I turned around, assuming the coast was clear and blinked. Potter was standing with his back to me. His naked back.

I bit my lip and couldn't help the fact that my eyes wandered a bit. What? I was a girl with hormones and everything! I wasn't to blame for this small failure of character that I had going on at the moment!

I blinked again, coughed and almost suffocated by swallowing wrong, which of course caused Potter to turn around. He raised an eyebrow and smirked. SMIRKED. I mean, don't mind me, your behind just caused me to almost die, but please don't try to help me or anything.

When I stopped coughing, I had tears rolling down my cheeks and was leaning heavily against the sink.

"You okay there, Woodstock?" he asked amused with a knowing glint in his eyes.

I glared at him and refused to look away from his face. Could he turn around, please? "Just take your damned shower, Potter." I wiped my cheeks dry and turned around again. I waited impatiently for Potter to finish while I tried to banish his naked hide from my thoughts.

When I heard him turning off the water and coming out of the shower, I walked towards the door and walked back into the dorm. I heard him yell my name in anger and I refused to acknowledge either him or the upcoming headache. I leaned against the bathroom door and heard him cursing right behind me, which probably meant he had moved along with me and was now getting dressed only inches away from me.

This so wasn't helping.

I closed my eyes, released a frustrated breath and opened them again. The whole dorm was staring at me. Weasley with an amused grin and Wood with a pitying look in his eyes.

"What?" I snarled and pounded on the door. "Get on with it, Potter. I'm hungry."

I heard him curse a little and smiled happily. If I was to be miserable, he was too dammit.

* * *

"Where do you think you're going?" Potter asked me, while I started towards the Hufflepuff table.

"I'm going to sit with my mates," I replied calmly. It was only fair. We sat with his yesterday and now I wanted to see my best friend and my boyfriend.

"Eerh, no, you're not," Potter said rather stupidly. I swear to Morgana, every word he utters is a pearl of wisdom.

"What are you going to do about it, Potter?" I said, faking a pout and wiping away my invisible tears. I sniffled. "Per-perhaps you could go cry to Longbottom?" I offered, my voice breaking on the first word in an awkward sob.

Potter looked at me as if I had gone bonkers. "What are you even doing, Woodstock?"

I hugged myself and sniffled some more. "I cannot sit with the Hufflepuffs," I fake sobbed, "nobody likes me there. I'm not cool enough, oh my poor hair. What would it do to my hair to be in the company of such greatness? No, I cannot handle it."

Potter rolled his eyes. "You are absolutely ridiculous."

"My hair," I wailed.

"I do not complain about my hair," Potter scoffed.

"I think you're rather on the defensive side of things," I told him, dropping the theatrics completely.

Potter opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by an exhausted looking professor Longbottom. According to our history books, Neville Longbottom was an old family friend of the Potter's and apparently he had played a big part in ending the war. He was some pretty hot stuff to the Gryffindors. (I kid you not. They figuratively kiss the ground he walks on.)

"Ah, James and miss Woodstock," Longbottom said, giving us a friendly nod, "I'm glad to catch you here." Yeah, were else would we be? This is where the food is. Gryffindors, I thought disapprovingly. "I have some news for you two concerning your school schedules and the Quidditch practices."

I stared at him. "Wha-what?" I asked, dumbfounded. Our school schedules?

"Quidditch?" Potter frowned. "I will still be able to captain the team, will I not?"

"Who cares about Quidditch, Potter," I snarled, "what are you changing about my school schedule? I need those courses, so I can become an Auror! Professor, it's impertinent I become an Auror, do you hear?" I felt myself slipping away. Oh my Merlin, this couldn't be happening to me. They couldn't do this. What if I couldn't follow those classes anymore? What would happen to me then? I wouldn't be able to become an Auror, I wouldn't be able to provide for my two children and Taran would probably think of me as a failure. No. No. "This won't do," I gasped.

"Miss Woodstock, are you having a panic attack?" Longbottom asked me, eyes wide.

"No," I breathed rapidly, "this is how my body usually functions."

Potter chuckled softly, before grabbing my arms and pulling me towards him. "You look absolutely ridiculous, Woodstock."

"Shut up, you dimwit," I gasped, trying to shove his hands away. I couldn't do this. My whole life was ruined, because of this ridiculous golden boy. I felt tears pooling in my eyes and I couldn't breathe. There was no air in the room and Potter kept on whispering those - "What did you just call me?" I asked, feeling my blood boil.

"Nothing," Potter smirked.

"YOU SLIMEY PIG. HOW DARE YOU SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT! You have no idea what happens between us, so mind your own bleeping business, Potter!" I shouted, ready to pounce his horrible hide.

"How's the breathing going?" Potter asked smugly.

I stared at him, confused and then it clicked. Even though I was still breathing heavily, I could feel the air in my longs again. I blinked and frowned. "How did you... I... eeerh. Thanks, Potter," I muttered awkwardly, before I quickly turned to Longbottom who was just staring at both of us as if we were completely off the wagon.

"Right. So. Since both of your schedules are slightly different, there is a tiny problem."

I felt my breath catch again, but before I could do so much as panic, I felt Potter's hand on my shoulder squeezing all the feeling out of it. Merlin, that boy was so annoying.

"We have already owled the Ministry for a Timeturner, so it will probably only be the first day or maybe even less, before you can go about your normal schedule again."

"A timeturner?" I asked in awe. "I thought those were only for super smart people, like Hermione Granger?" I was going to get a timeturner? I felt a smile creep on my face and ignored the stern look professor Longbottom shot my way.

"Yes and of course you will be carefully monitored. You will not abuse this," he said seriously, giving Potter a long look. "This is a sign of our faith in you and if I find out you abuse it, James, I will owl your father faster than you can say 'busted', understood?"

Potter turned a bit red at the threat and he glowered at the professor, which I actually understood. It wasn't all that nice if someone immediately started to threaten to go and talk to your bad ass father. Not that I felt sorry for the sucker. It was about time he found out there were two sides to every coin.

"We will take care of it, professor," I reassured Longbottom, ignoring the reddish face of the boy standing beside me.

"How about Quidditch? I can't play games with her on my broomstick," Potter muttered darkly, giving me a filthy look as if all of this was my fault.

I rolled my eyes. I didn't really care for his blasted Quidditch, I was just happy that I would be able to take my classes and become an Auror someday.

"No," Longbottom sighed, "I'm sorry, James, but there will be no Quidditch until we've found a solution to whatever this is." He made a vague gesture towards the two of us.

I thought Potter was going to explode, so I quickly took over. I liked taking control. It was what I was good at and I didn't want to hear Potter's whining for the rest of the day. "Potter is captain, is he not? You cannot write off your own captain, professor." Not that Gryffindor needed a captain during our ass kicking. I mean, I had full faith in our team this year and I really hoped we could win. Just once, I'd really like that. Especially since it was our last year and it wasn't that just because I personally didn't care all that much, that I didn't want this win for my housemates.

"While that might be true, James will have to do his coordinating from the ground."

"That's impossible, Neville!" Potter said, furious with the whole idea of having to shout up to his team.

I ignored the outburst, as Longbottom ignored the use of his first name. "Then what do you suggest? That he still captains the team, but wouldn't be allowed to fly in it himself?"

Longbottom shrugged. "It's going to be really hard to play Quidditch with two people on one broomstick, miss Woodstock."

Well, I didn't really know what to say to that.

"I suggest you go to as many classes as you possibly can, but please..." he said, giving me a look as if he knew me well. I mean, I hadn't even spoken to him outside of his classroom, what was that knowing glint in his eyes all about? "Don't overwork yourselves, okay?"

Without another word he turned around, leaving a dumbfounded Potter and me behind. I bit my lip, not really knowing what to say or do. I had very little dealings with smashed dreams. "We'll... erhm, we'll find something," I said, patting Potter's arm awkwardly. Normally I was pretty good at comforting people, but this was just... strange.

The boy didn't even respond, so I took a hold of his arm and slowly tugged him towards the Hufflepuff table. Merlin knew how long this glazed look would last and I tended to make good use of it. I put him down on the bench besides Cassandra, who gave me an angry look.

"Where the HELL have you been, Woodstock?" Cassandra shouted, making those around us pause.

I swallowed and put a finger in front of my lips, before I quickly told her what was going on. After I was done, she just kept on staring at me as if I had gone mad.

"Are you serious?"

I gave Potter, who was still staring ahead, a foul look. Seriously, though? It's only sodding Quidditch!

"Are you pulling my leg, right now? Because, I swear to all that is unholy, that is not funny at all and I will have your skin," Cassandra said warningly.

I rolled my eyes. Why was my best friend such a weirdo? "I'm as serious as can be," I assured her. "Their dorm stinks, seriously. I had to clean it up, before I could even consider sleeping," I grumbled.

"You were in their dorm?" Cassandra asked, eyes wide and voice low.

I glanced around quickly, and nodded. "Where else do you think I sleep?"

Cassandra softly whistled. "What are you going to tell Taran?"

I cringed. "As little as I possibly can," I murmured, afraid of what he would say if he found out where I spend my nights nowadays.

"That won't do, honey," she sighed, "he was waiting for us to come down this morning. But I couldn't damn well tell him all of your stuff had been moved, could I? He would have eaten me alive."

"Taran wouldn't have eaten you alive, you nutshell," I murmured back, putting food in my mouth quickly and methodically. "How did he look like when I didn't come down with you?"

"Angry," Cassandra whispered. "Like seriously angry. Apparently he had been waiting for your return in the Common Room last night and only went to bed after four... I think he knows you weren't here."

I frowned at that. That could be problematic. I tugged at my yellow tie and bit my lip. "I will just have to avoid him until he cools off then." Couldn't have him breaking up with me, could I?


	6. The moment Potter made me cry

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

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* * *

**6. The moment Potter made me cry**

"This is getting ridiculous," I muttered, ducking behind Potter for the billionth time that day. Potter and his mates ignored me, as they had done for the better part of the day, but Cassandra gave me a pitying look.

"Honey, just go talk to him," she whispered, pulling me from behind Potter's back.

"I can't," I mumbled, staring at her hand on my arm. "What am I going to tell him? Hi honey, how was your day? Yeah, we're not going to be able to have kids because you're going to hate me since I'm currently sleeping next to Potter in practically the same bed!" I said in one breath, causing me to gasp for air as soon as I was done.

"You sleep next to him?" Cass asked, her voice laced with jealousy.

"Yeah, Cass, so not the point here," I said, putting my hands on my hips in frustration. I made a mental note to myself to try and talk about this with her later. I didn't need her to think I was crushing on her crush or anything.

"You've already planned when you're going to have kids?" Wood asked me, while Potter and Weasley stared at me.

I raised an eyebrow and gave them my best glare. "So?"

Weasley gave Wood a look that clearly meant to drop it and Wood answered it with a look of his own. They did that often, communicating through their looks, I mean. Through the day they always knew what the other meant and even finished each other's sentences a couple of times. It was freaky, especially since they weren't related in the least. Just... Really good friends, I guess. They share a brain or something, it's uncanny to watch.

"So that's insane! You do realize that, don't you?" Wood asked me, ignoring the professor that dashed by to open our Potions classroom.

"Why would it be insane for me to know what I want with my life?" I asked in disgust. "At least I know what I want to do when I graduate, do you? Despite living off of your father's fame of course?" Oliver Wood was one serious drool worthy Quidditch player and I could swear Cass's ears turned red at the mention of Wood's name. She had it bad.

"We don't need our family's fame," Potter spat at me. "We are our own person, Woodstock."

"Yeah, I'd like to see you get away with all the shit that you do if you really were your own person." He just didn't see the treatment they were given, did he? It was disgusting to know that he just thought it was natural for them all to be admired by young and old, just because their parents are the Golden Trio and Oliver Wood the Golden Quidditch Star. It made me want to barf.

"Come on," Cass murmured softly, dragging me into the classroom that was already filled with our fellow students. "Why do you always do that?" she whispered, while I walked to my station.

"Do what?" I asked, frowning. Right, I had to brew a potion with Potter again. Great.

"Pick a fight that you just can't win. Just drop the family thing, honey." Cass kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear: "I know it's unfair, but they can't help who their family is. "

"When did you get so insightful?" I asked, when she moved away.

She winked and walked to her own seat. I plopped down on my stool and sighed. This sucked. I gave Potter a look, which he ignored and stared at the blackboard. This was going to be awkward with Cassandra, I could just tell. She may have a slight crush on Oliver Wood, but Potter was leagues beyond that even though she never really admitted it. Yeah, the other day she defended him to me, stating that he was worth all the trouble and effort she kept putting into him, but beyond that? Nada. I gave Potter a curious look. I mean, I know that he is a total hottie and I get that she could fall for that. But Potter? Really? What else did he have going for him besides his looks and family name?

In all fairness, he did stop my panic attack earlier, but that was by whispering obscenities about my virginity in my ear. Some gentleman. Maybe I should make a list about his characteristics? I mean, okay, I have done that before when this strange infatuation with Potter started, but I hadn't really been able to put a lot on the "good" side of the characteristics. I noticed he held doors for girls sometimes, but that was probably because he wanted to get under their robes.

"I know I'm dashing, Woodstock, and that's nearly impossible for some to stop staring at me. But please, love, control yourself," Potter mocked.

"You really are a piece of work, Potter. I'm perfectly happy with Taran, thanks." I thought I heard him mutter 'perfectly miserable', but I chose to be the bigger person and ignored it. Giving him the other cheek and all that.

Who am I kidding? I hexed his shoelaces to stick to each other with an adhesive spell. No, the irony of it all wasn't lost to me. I sighed. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

I stared at Taran from my place at the Gryffindor table, while he glared right back at me. He must think such dreadful things of me, I thought, lowering my eyes and staring at my plate.

"You can't tell him what's going on, Woodstock," Potter said yet again. For some reason he's been trying to convince me that it would be very bad indeed to just be honest with my own boyfriend. I mean, what's the worst Taran could do to him?! Taran wasn't the kind of man to go to the tabloids with something like this. I was a hundred percent certain of this, but Potter refused to budge.

"That is my choice, Potter," I repeated myself with a snarl. I hated repeating myself. I strongly disliked being here and by Merlin I hated the boy currently sitting next to me. "We've been through this in Transfiguration _and_ Care of Magical Creatures, Potter. Just drop it, I want to tell him."

"But you can't, you have to promise me," Potter hissed back, shoving his empty plate away from him.

The stack on mine just seemed to be getting larger by the minute. I had no appetite at all, so I shoved mine away as well. "Why shouldn't I be allowed to tell him, Potter. Give me one good reason."

"Because it will not change anything. You will still have to sleep in our dorm, with me."

I rolled my eyes. "But at least when I tell him the truth," I stressed that last word, "he'll know I'm not doing that because I want to do so. He will know this whole thing," I made a wild and big gesture around the Gryffindor table, "will be out of necessity."

"Will you lower your voice, Woodstock," Potter snarled like the animal he was, while pulling me closer to him. That boy was so paranoid, I thought while rolling my eyes.

"Not everyone lives to know every single detail of your boring life, Potter," I whispered angrily. "And what's Taran going to think with you manhandling me like this?" Not to mention poor Cassandra.

"That I'm one lucky bastard," Potter asked, without skipping a beat.

I smacked his stomach. "Quit it, you insufferable prat. I know this is very hard to get through your thick skull, Potter, but some people actually like to be in a relationship and love the people they are in said relationship with!"

"She's right, mate, it seems hardly fair that we know the truth about it all, while her boyfriend will just think she's cheating on him," Weasley said softly.

"Look at that Carla woman, she didn't run to the tabloids either when she found out."

Who the heck is Carla?

"That's because _Cassandra_ has a serious crush on me," Potter whispered back.

I rolled my eyes. Nice to know he didn't have an ego or anything. "That's because Cass is my best friend. Why are you so self-centered, Potter?"

"Why are you so selfish?" he asked right back.

"I'm being selfish?" I asked, staring at him dumbfounded. He was kidding me, right? "I'm the one who's being selfish? Are you for real? My relationship is about to end because the biggest Gryffindor prat there ever was refuses to let me tell my boyfriend that said Gryffindor prat managed to get me stuck to him for an unknown amount of time!" Breathe, Rosemary, breathe, I told myself. "But you know what? I don't even know why I'm listening to you. This is my life and I will tell whoever I want, when I want and where I want to tell it. Got me?"

I stood up and was ready to be done with this all. I just wanted to explain to Taran and really hoped he didn't hate me already.

Potter just pulled me back down on the bench. "I wasn't done yet, Woodstock. What kind of relationship would it be, if he thinks you're cheating on him after one day?"

Wood seemed to mull that over thoughtfully. "Sorry, Woodstock, he does have a point."

Yeah, sure, side with the lunatic. Why don't you? Who asked your opinion anyway?

"What is he supposed to think?" I hissed. "I spend the night with you lot. Wouldn't you start thinking like him if you found out your girlfriend spend the night with some random Slytherin?"

"Are you comparing us to Slytherins?" Potter asked, insulted.

"You take that back," Weasley said.

"Seriously," Wood added.

"Do the three of you share a brain or something?" I muttered darkly. "I'm not taking it back. I'm in the right here and I have every by Morgana damned right to tell my boyfriend what's really going on here. You," I pointed to all three of them, "are not going to make me the new school harlot."

Wood looked positively scandalized by that. "We're not going to make you do things you don't want to do, Woodstock." I wasn't even entirely sure if he was serious about this or just pulling my leg. Could he really be this stupid?

"We're not rapists," Weasley muttered.

"Seriously, you two, stop it. You're freaking me out," I said, before turning to Potter. "That was not my point, you do realize that, don't you?"

Potter remained silent for a couple of minutes, before he slowly nodded. "You don't want people to think you're the kind of person that cheats on her boyfriend." Finally! A voice of reason. "But people aren't going to think that," he just shrugged, before drinking from his pumpkin juice casually.

"And why is that?" I asked, exasperated with it all. I didn't want to be called the new school's slut, but apparently I was on my own with this.

"Because I'd never shag the likes of you."

I completely froze at that. He... He... What? It took me a moment to gather my wits, while Weasley and Wood seemed to laugh their arses off, so even more people were trying to listen into our conversation. As if we didn't attract enough attention already with me sitting at the Gryffindor table and Potter at ours earlier. "What did you say?" I asked him softly. I know it was ridiculous to let something like that hurt me, but for some reason that comment got under my skin. Especially since Potter saw more of me in the bathroom earlier than any other boy. Ever. Not that he saw me naked, we all know that, but... I dread swimming, so I haven't done that since before I hit puberty. My boyfriend hadn't even seen me without a shirt and skirt on... And Potter saw me dressed in nothing but a small towel...

"It's rather logical, don't you think? I mean look at you and then look at me. I hope I'm not smashing your dreams here, Woodstock, but we'd never fit together." I actually agreed with that last bit, but my blood had started to boil because of the earlier part of his little speech. How dare he? "You really aren't my type. I mean look at your waist." Stupidly enough I looked down. Okay, I wasn't really skinny, maybe a little on the 'more' side of things, but I certainly didn't consider myself fat or anything. That didn't give him the right to say that though.

"Potter," I started furiously, but he held up a hand, while the other Gryffindors seemed to hang on every word that came out of that ridiculous mouth of his.

"Woodstock, I'm not in your league," he said with a sad little smile, as if he felt sorry for me, while guys started laughing and girls gave me pitying looks.

"James," a soft voice further down the table warned. I looked up to see it was Rose Weasley who had spoken up on my behalf. I gave her a furious look. I didn't need her to defend me. Just because I was sorted into Hufflepuff doesn't mean I can't be a furious little thing if need be. I can stand up for myself just fine, thank you very much.

"Then why are you hitting on me, Potter?" I asked him furiously. "Leave me the hell alone and let me go talk to my boyfriend."

I already heard the whispers about me cheating, circulating and balled my fists. No, this was not happening. I had just been insulted worse than ever. Sure, Potter and I disliked each other strongly and were always insulting each other the first chance we got, but never had he told me something like this. This was cruel, even for him.

"I'm not the one sitting on your lap," Potter smirked.

And that's what did it. I am a Hufflepuff and I am absolutely against violence. I mean, I have no problems whatsoever with the rest of the student body. I'm generally known as a nice, yet strange girl, but everyone would have agreed I wouldn't hurt a fly. Unless that fly was James Sirius Potter. It was a fact known by all and I wasn't proud of it. After the little shower fiasco I had promised to never go for someone's face or head again, because, well, I wouldn't like it either when someone slapped me.

But like my New Year's resolutions that promise when down the drain. I hadn't really realized what I was doing until my hand stung badly and Potter had a fierce red mark on his face. His eyes flashed and an ugly snarl formed on his face, but I ignored it. I calmly stood up, ignored the hush that had fallen over the Great Hall and ran out of it. The pain was instant, but yet I continued on. I didn't care if I fell down in a coma at that moment. I just wanted to leave and cry in a little corner while hugging a pillow close. Or Cassandra. Rather it be Cassandra, I thought.

I managed not to cry until I left the Great Hall, but I didn't make it till the staircases. I heard footsteps behind me and cursed softly. Of course Potter had to follow me out and now he was going to see me cry. I stood with my back towards him, crossed my arms and closed my eyes. I wasn't going to acknowledge the fact that I was crying nor that the big douchebag stood behind me.

"You should be ashamed of yourself," I heard Rose hiss at Potter, before she touched my shoulder gently and stood in front of me. "Don't you dare come closer, James. I swear to everything that is magical, I will hex you so bad you won't even know where your head and arse are, understood?"

"Bloody hell," I heard Potter mutter, but he didn't come to stand next to her.

"Are you okay?" Rose asked me, while my arms went to circle around my waist. She noticed. "Come on, Woodstock, you're not fat."

I didn't speak. I think I was too embarrassed to. I heard Potter oof, before two arms pulled me close. I hugged Cassandra back and used it as cover to wipe my eyes dry.

"You are such an asshole, Potter," Cassandra hissed next to my ear.

"And yet you fancy the prick," I muttered softly back into her ear. She pinched my side.

"Good to know you can still joke," she said gently.

"Who said I was joking?" I muttered again.

She rolled her eyes and nudged my chin up. Right. Chin up. Smile. Nod. Other cheek. This is no different than what you're used to, I thought to myself. I turned around and gave Potter a level look. "How about you don't speak to me unless absolutely necessary and I will return you the favour? You will not tell me what to do and again I will return the favour. I'll even let you ruin my sleep by not getting up all in your business and cleaning up that horrible mess. I shall make a schedule for us to sit either at the Gryffindor or the Hufflepuff table during meals and we will not communicate during any of them, unless one of us is choking to death on something. Am I making myself clear?" I was proud of myself. My voice didn't even break or waver once.

Rose and Potter stared at me dumbfounded, while Cassandra gave my hand a supportive squeeze.

"Do you have multiple personalities?" Potter asked incredulously.

I didn't answer. I was quite serious about the not communicating with him. Or his friends for that matter.

"Fine," he spat out after an awkward silence. "I'll be glad not to talk to you or acknowledge you in any way."

I nodded and turned around. I hooked my arm through Cassandra's. "How about you follow me to whatever table I'm sitting at?" I offered. I didn't think I could handle another Cassandra-free day like this. She gave me a sweet smile.

"You know I'll follow you everywhere, beautiful."

I smiled. Good. There was strength in numbers and I was definitely going to need more of it.


	7. The moment I denied Potter a shag

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

_**Hi guys! Happy early holidays and may the odds be ever in your favour!  
**_

_**It seems that all I've been doing lately is apologize to you, but I am sincerely sorry that I've mistreated you all so. I'm going to try and update weekly again, so feel free to kick my ass if I don't.  
**_

_**This is a special shout out to Black Roses Wilt because she begged me to update and I just couldn't refuse!  
**_

_**Merry Christmas/Hanukkah/... folks!  
**_

_**Love,  
**_

_**Kelly**_

* * *

**7: The moment I denied Potter a shag**

The next morning I woke up with a tiny heart. Yesterday evening we had been given our very own Time-Turner. Of course Potter had immediately started plotting his next 'brilliant' scheme with his friends. That's also why I'm the one carrying the Time-Turner around. I didn't want Potter to suddenly disappear into another time and thus leaving me behind in a sudden coma!

Of course it took Potter a couple of minutes to see the problematic nature of his brilliant ideas. I was currently sitting at the Gryffindor table, as I had scheduled the night before, and stared straight at Irena. "Good morning," she muttered uncomfortably under my gaze.

I smiled back and turned to Elena. "I love your hair today, Elena," I told her genuinely. "You really must teach me how to make a braid like that." Her braid circled her head like a crown and had me in instant awe when I saw it.

Elena smiled at her plate, before looking up at me briefly and gave me a tiny nod.

Irena gave her friend a fond and proud look. "See, I told you it would get better talking to strangers!" Irena gave Potter a look, who sat next to Weasley, who again sat next to me. I thought it fine. I didn't need to sit next to the prick 24/7 as well.

"He's who he is for a reason, you know," she then whispered, catching me completely by surprise.

"What?" I asked, blinking rapidly in confusion.

"James," Irena whispered with a sad smile. "He is who is for a reason. He likes to pretend to be a total arse most of the time, because then he's completely different from what people would expect of him, you know?"

No, I didn't know. Nor did I understand even half of what she was saying. "Where are you going with this?" I asked, frowning. In my world Potter was an arse because he was raised to be one. Although, granted, I had heard from others that his father was his complete opposite. But then again Harry Potter wasn't raised in the same circumstances as his son had been.

Irena hesitated and looked at Elena for guidance. The latter just shook her head and gave her friend a warning look, but didn't do anything else to stop her. "I know it isn't my place," Irena continued, "but I heard you two fighting last night."

"The whole Hall heard us fighting," I muttered darkly, thinking that I should have done more than slapping him.

Again Irena hesitated. "He wasn't always this way," she said, her eyes sad. "When he was in his first year, he really was carefree, happy even."

I gave Potter a look, who had a big shiny smile on his face. "And he isn't happy now?" I asked sarcastically.

"No," she smiled, "he's not happy at all. He's miserable, Rosemary. His family knows that and lets him do the shit he does because of it, but... I don't know, you'll find out on your own, I guess."

"Just be careful he doesn't throw you out with the trash, as he did with Irena, when you do." Elena's first words to me weren't exactly hope inspiring, I must say.

I gave Potter a speculating look, just as he turned around and stared right into my eyes. Neither of us looked away, while I mulled over everything Irena had just said.

"You're just messing with my head, aren't you?" I asked Irena softly without looking away from Potter's surprisingly mesmerizing gaze.

Irena laughed at that, gaining my full attention. I raised an eyebrow. Great, I thought, I've just been had.

"Do you know James at all?" she asked, louder than the rest of our conversation had been. From the corner of my eyes I saw Potter making a face and giving Irena a clear shut up-look. Huh.

"Good morning my little Mandrake of sunshine," my best friend said, oblivious to the obvious tension.

"Again with the Mandrake nonsense?" I asked, ignoring the chuckles I heard from around us.

"What's wrong with Mandrakes?" she asked, shrugging. In one fluent motion she took my toast from my plate and ate it faster than one could say Quidditch.

"Oi," I protested, giving her a slight poke. "Give me back my food, barbarian."

Cassandra just started waggling her eyebrows. "Ooh. Angry Rose. Bad. Danger. Flee."

I giggled and gave her a hug. "How was your night?"

She shrugged and send a fleeting look towards the Hufflepuff table. "You really need to talk to him, love. He's getting restless and we can't really blame him."

I nodded. I knew this and I had even prepared a whole speech in bed last night. "I'm going to talk to him today," I reassured her, causing her to smile brightly.

"Great! So how's the deal going?" she asked, nodding towards Potter.

I shrugged. "Haven't really spoken to him yet today. We seem to communicate through gestures."

"And heavy loaded stares," Weasley butted in.

I gave him a sour look. "Have you been drinking?" I asked, balling my fists underneath the table. It's impolite to listen into a conversation. Did his mother never teach him that?!

"Heavy loaded stares?" Cassandra asked, giving me the look.

I swallowed and busied myself with drinking some pumpkin juice.

Irena laughed. "Ah, stop teasing the poor girl, Freddie."

Fred Weasley stared at her in wonder, before frowning and looking away.

I heard Irena sigh and saw how Cassandra was just plain confused by it all. "I'll explain later," I said softly. Man, we really would need something that would allow us to communicate in all privacy. I thought about it, before I tapped Weasley on the shoulder. All the conversation around us seemed to die out, while Weasley turned around slowly once more. I could feel stares burning into the back of my head and I was suddenly wondering if all of this was a good idea.

On the other hand, what was Weasley gonna do? Spit at me?

"Weasley, I have a question for you," I asked slowly, making sure I pronounced everything correctly. The last thing I needed was Potter making fun of me because all the nervous energy was making me stutter.

"I figured as much," he replied just as carefully. "What do you need, Woodstock?"

"I was wondering if your father sells anything that allows one to communicate privately with someone else?" I asked, seeing the light dawn on Weasley's face the more I spoke.

"I don't know. I can owl him for you, if you like?" he replied.

I nodded. "Thank you." I turned back around to Cassandra and high fived her. "We're getting back our privacy, woman." I heard Potter mutter something like 'huh, look at that', but I couldn't be sure.

Cassandra winked. "About damn time too."

* * *

I put the Time-Turner away again and glanced at Potter from the corner of my eyes. I opened my mouth to say something to him, against my better judgment, but without a word he grabbed my arm and pulled me aside and against the wall.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, trying to shove him off me.

"Ssh, Woodstock," he whispered moving aside a little so I could look under his arm to see ourselves coming out of the Great Hall. "Why are you so tall anyways?" I muttered angrily.

Potter chuckled and didn't grace me with an answer. I was starting to really feel uncomfortable in his embrace, but I waited patiently for him to move away. After a whole while he finally did and I moved aside quickly. "Right. What was it you had now, again?"

"Magical Creatures, but we're not going to that," Potter replied, walking further into the castle without seeing if I'd follow. What the hell did that mean?

I muttered something obscene under my breath, but followed him anyway. What else was I going to do? Wait until I drop into a dreadful coma? Pfft. Not feeling comatose today, sorry. I hurried after the stupid Gryffindor and hated that I almost had to break into a run to be able to keep up with him. "Potter!" I shouted, making him shake his head before he started running down the hallway. "Why are we running?" I breathed heavily. "POTTER," I shrieked when the bloody wanker didn't answer me.

Potter stopped running and I nearly crashed at his feet. Bloody hell that toss can run fast when he wanted to. "Stop being such a baby, Woodstock."

I put my hands on my knees and bent over a little so I could catch my breath. "Wh-What are we doing, Potter?"

"I'm late," he simply said, before running off again. The instant headache made me curse aloud and follow him as fast as I could.

"Slow down, you miserable prat!" I gasped when we rounded yet another corner. He suddenly stopped, making me run straight into him. I landed on my ass and groaned. "Potter," I complained, while I lay on the ground in a miserable heap. He just gave me a look and then grabbed my arms. I frowned.

He started pulling me towards the broom closet and I gave a shriek, trying to pull myself free.

"Rapist!" I screamed and he rolled his eyes.

"Honey, if I wanted you in that broom closet you wouldn't be able to say no."

My eyes widened at that. Good Lord, he really was going to do horrendous acts on my body wasn't he? I wouldn't be able to say no because he would cover my mouth.

Potter gave me a tired look, when he saw my scared shitless face. "Honestly, woman," he muttered, before stalking towards the broom closet. Without another word to me, he opened it and entered the closet.

I lay there frowning until I heard a surprised giggle from the broom closet and I froze.

"So you came," the girl giggled and Potter chuckled.

"Oh, I plan to," his voice replied teasingly and I felt my face change into a scowl.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," I muttered, getting on my feet and balling my fists. The girl started to speak, but the kissing sounds that followed made me want to hurl. "POTTER. I'm not going to stand here while you shag some slut in there." I screamed and screamed. I kicked the broom closet door that he had locked and only just had the presence of mind to remember that I was cursed.

I smirked and huffed angrily. How dare he take me here? How dare he even think I was going to wait for him to finish up his business? Was the man a complete nut?

Without another word or completing my hissy fit, I turned on my heel and stalked away. I heard him shout when the headache increased to both of us, but I didn't stop until the pain lessened and the black spots before my eyes disappeared.

Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me back towards him. "Are you crazy, woman?" Potter asked me.

"No, but you are." I tried to hit him again, but he grabbed my hand and pushed me against the wall, staring furiously into my eyes.

"Don't." His voice sounded so menacing and his eyes were almost spitting fire.

I tried not to show how much his show of dominance and anger started to frighten me. "Fuck off," I hissed, pissed beyond words. I just wanted to go to dinner and do my homework. The day had been way too long to listen to Potter's bullocks.

"No," Potter hissed, his nose almost touching mine. "Not until you swear to never hit me again."

"Why would I do that?" I scoffed.

Potter narrowed his eyes and glared. I swallowed and tried not to move. Damn. What was his problem?

"I can't believe you were going to shag her in there!" I said, glancing at the blonde who stood staring at us somewhat awkwardly in the doorway.

"I wasn't going to shag her," Potter spat. "I don't have sex with people in broom closets, Woodstock."

I gave him a pointed look. Sure he didn't.

He breathed heavily. "I don't know what you think of me-"

I interrupted him. "You nearly let me slip in a coma so you could make out with some Ravenclaw tramp during your Care of Magical Creature's class, Potter. Excuse me for wanting to knock some sense into that thick skull of yours. Have you ever thought about her feelings? About anyone else's?" I asked, not really knowing what came over me. It felt like my mouth and brain were completely detached. As if my brain had unplugged the off switch to my tongue. "Are you really just some chauvinistic pig or are you actually something more? Irena seems to think so, but I sincerely doubt it."

Potter stiffened and gave me a wary look. "What did she tell you?"

"Does it matter?" I snarled. "You just proved to me that there's nothing beyond what the eye sees when it comes to you. You disgust me, Potter. You really do." I turned to the girl and motioned for her to scatter.

She gave me such a filthy look that I wanted to crawl into a hole and hide, but I stood my ground.

"I'm sorry, Stephanie. We'll continue our conversation another time, okay?" Potter said gently, before releasing me from his iron grip.

I scoffed at the conversation part. "Pig," I muttered, before walking back to the Gryffindor common room. I gave him no chose but to follow me.


	8. The moment our hearts broke

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

**_I don't know about you lot, but I've had one hell of a month. I turned 20 -gasp-, celebrated Christmas, I've been terribly sick (I frigging hate colds!) AND I'm in the middle of my exams. I am quite done with this month already, I swear x'D  
_**

**_Anyway. Guys. GUYS. I did something. I mean, I've been planning to do this for a LONG, LONG time and I'm glad we're finally at this stage of the story where the ball gets rolling... (YAY FOR ACTUAL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT!)  
_**

**_So. I'm really curious how you all are going to feel about this one. It's quite a shocker, I imagine. Tell me, what you think about it alright? Did you expect it? - wink wink nudge nudge -  
_**

**_Alrighty then. I'm not going to promise that I'm going to update soon again, because I hate breaking my promises and for all I know Murphy will strike again so I won't be able to get to my computer for a couple of weeks. (If you hear this, Murphy, back off, bud!)  
_**

**_BUT enjoy the chapter, I'm really curious about your reactions so please continue reviewing.  
_**

**_Thank you if you reviewed the last one (every review put a smile on my face and made me giggle in schoolgirl like delight) and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE! May 2013 be filled with lots of awesome fanfiction, eh?  
_**

**_Love,  
_**

**_Kelly  
_**

**_P.S.: I found out I started transforming Taran into Aiden. I have no clue whatsoever why I started calling Taran Aiden, but I got the previous two chapters fixed. So, to make sure there's no confusion about this: Taran is Rose's boyfriend. Not Aiden. I don't even know Aiden. WHO ARE YOU, AIDEN, AND WHERE DID YOU COME FROM, YOU CREEP?  
_**

* * *

**8: The moment our hearts broke  
**

The next morning I stalked out of the Gryffindor common room, making Potter curse darkly at me. I ignored him and the way he was struggling to get his pants on while trying to keep up with me. Mercilessly, I walked on and only slowed my pace when we were on the stairs. I did not fancy a trip down them, thank you.

I was still so terribly anger at the prick. Did he really think I would stand for that kind of behaviour? I thought annoyed. I grabbed the strap of my bag and assured myself it was still safely on my shoulder and crossed my arms while I walked. Potter huffed and puffed like the ugly dragon he deep down was until he finally finished dressing himself.

"Do that again and I will hex you," he muttered.

"I would love to see you try," I replied in a singsong voice I knew annoyed him. When we arrived at the Great Hall, I marched to the Hufflepuff table and was surprised when Potter followed me without any complaints. I didn't let it show though. A deal was a deal. It was about damn time anyway that he started behaving like an adult.

"Good morning," I told Taran, kissing his cheek. He froze and stared at me, while I sat down next to him. I saw him looking at Potter over my shoulder, as I was sure the whole Hall was, and frowned at me. "What is he doing here?" he asked me bitterly. "Is he your guard dog now?"

Potter growled and howled.

I smacked his arm. "Shut up," I hissed. Ugh. "I can't just ditch him, Taran," I tried to explain, but he just shook his head.

"Why not? Tell him to leave, Rose." A muscle in Taran's cheek moved in a way I didn't at all like. He was getting angry and that was something I was trying so hard to avoid.

"I - I can't, Taran," I whispered regretfully. "Do you think I like being stuck with him every hour of every Morgana damned day?"

Taran gave me a venomous look. "I don't know, do you?"

"Taran!" I gasped. "How could you think that?"

"I don't know, Rose," he hissed, his eyes spitting fire at me. "How would you feel if your girlfriend turned into a slut and was shagging someone, practically right in front of you?"

I stared at him, my mouth agape. "Excuse me?"

Taran shook his head. "I didn't want to believe it, _Rosemary_," he spat out my name as if it left a vile taste in his mouth. I just sat there, aghast, not really understanding what was happening.

"Oi, mate, I didn't shag her. Not that I wouldn't, but I haven't," Potter butted in and I couldn't express how grateful I was for that. Surely Taran would believe Potter on this matter? After all, the prick couldn't shut up about all his victories. "Yet," he added smugly and I glared darkly at him.

"You are not helping," I snarled.

"He doesn't need to help you," Taran said, the perfect definition of calm all of a sudden. As if he finally made up his mind.

_No_.

"You helped yourself in this situation, so I think you can help yourself out of it just as easily." Taran gave me a disdainful look and just shook his head. "I waited for you, Rose. For days. While you were shagging the brains out of him, I waited. I hoped you would come back with a decent explanation for your momentum of insanity, but it never came. I am done waiting for you, Rose. Merlin knows what kind of diseases you got from that asshole and you aren't infecting me with any of them."

My heart broke and tears filled my eyes. He has never spoken to me in such a manner that made it clear I disgusted him. His words weren't even fully registering, but his tone. God, his tone.

"No, Taran, please," I begged, rivers forming on my cheeks, making their way down my chin. "You don't understand." I opened my mouth to explain the whole situation to him - Potter be damned - but got interrupted by him before I could do so much as utter a single word.

"Damn fucking straight I don't understand," he said, giving me another filthy look. "You disgust me," he confirmed my earlier thought and I sobbed.

I might talk the big talk and walk the walk and all that nonsense, but this positively destroyed me. I could handle Potter taking a piss at me, but this? From Taran? My Taran? No.

"In case you hadn't noticed yet, Woodstock." The name was like a slap. "I'm done with your whoring and I'm done with you."

"Now listen here, mate," Potter started, getting off of the bench just as Taran did. "I've been a real sport about this. I let you have your say, I even let you break up with her, but I will not let you call her any of that."

Taran just looked at Potter as if he wondered if the shit would keep coming at him. "Oh and what are you going to do to stop me, eh? I'm just calling them as I see them."

I slowly stood up and glanced around. All the disdainful and pitying looks, only made me cry harder. Already I could hear people whispering about my so called infidelity and I just couldn't take it. I generally considered myself a nice and gentle person, but this made me want to scream. My eyes scanned the room for Cassandra, but she was nowhere in sight. Taran and Potter started shouting at each other, but I completely blocked the noise. I just... I was done. The day had just started and I was so completely done with it all that I just wanted to crawl back in bed and forget about the whole thing. Slowly I climbed over the bench and started walking away from the scene.

I heard Potter calling my name, but ignored him. I wanted to be alone right now. I couldn't think about all the things Taran had said to me, nor could I stand to think about Taran in general right now. I just needed a good cry and a hell of a lot of sleep. But that was not going to happen, I thought. I refused to crawl in a hole and die. I may be a Hufflepuff, I thought with some new found strength, but I didn't have to let my house define me. I could be cunning, sly and brave _and_ gentle. I could be all those things and I was going to show the world I could too.

But first I needed chocolate.

I was only halfway to the kitchens when I realised somebody was following me. I pivoted around and glared through my tears at the invader of my privacy. "What are you doing? Why can't you just leave me alone?" I shouted angrily.

Potter seemed to hesitate, before he came towards me with visible caution. As if he was afraid what kind of damage a hysterical woman could do to him. I took a step backward, but he just kept advancing on me.

"Stop," I shrieked. "Stop moving, Potter. Or I'll - I'll," I sniffed and started sobbing again.

Potter pulled me towards him and said something.

I ignored him and started hitting his chest. "This is all your fault," I said, hitting him as if my life depended on it. I only saw a haze of gold and red through my tears and felt his arms go around me. "This is all your fault," I sobbed. The anger had suddenly left my body, leaving me an empty vessel. I would have dropped to the ground like a sack of potatoes if it weren't for Potter's strong arms holding me up.

"Ssht, Woodstock," he whispered in my ear, while I sobbed. He picked me up and carried me back to the Gryffindor Tower. We both ignored the looks we were getting. I was too busy sobbing on his shoulder to really notice anyway. He put me down in my bed and put the covers over me. He sat down next to me and caressed my hair gently.

"Tell me what I can do to help you, Woodstock."

I shook my head and managed to mutter that he had done enough already. He had ruined one of the only good things I had going for me and I wasn't going to forgive him that easily.

He just sighed and laid down on his own bed. I turned on my side, my back to him, so I wouldn't have to watch him, while I cried.

* * *

Time flew by and it wasn't until late that evening, when Potter and his other dorm mate of whom I still didn't know the name were already vast asleep, that Weasley and Wood returned. They seemed to be in the middle of a heated argument and only barely succeeded in keeping their voices down.

"I don't care, Fred," Wood spat. "You can't do that to me."

"I can do whatever I want," Fred answered stubbornly, his voice wavering a little.

I opened my eyes and looked curiously at the two shadows that were arguing at the bed next to mine. I had no idea what time it was, as I had long since this morning lost my sense of time.

"Not if you want this to work, you can't. I thought you wanted this to work, Freddie." Wood sounded completely shattered and somehow I felt bad for him. I had no idea what this was about, a prank probably, but whatever must have happened seemed to have really hurt him.

"I just can't handle this shit right now, Oscar," Fred said, sounding exhausted. They both sounded so unlike their happy selves that I almost sat up straight. Almost.

What in Merlin's name had happened?

"What?" Wood asked, almost growling at Fred. "You can't handle "this" right now?" I saw him emphasize the word with his fingers. "What is that, Fred Weasley? Do tell. What can't you handle right now?"

"Look, man," Weasley sighed, "maybe we should call it a break, yeah? We obviously aren't okay and I just want to live while I'm young, okay? Is that so wrong?"

"You... You want to live while you're young?" Wood asked slowly, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Yeah."

"Okay, I just wanted to make sure I understood what you were saying," Wood's frosty voice said calmly.

Weasley sighed again. "Ah come on, Os, don't be like this."

"I'm going to be like I damn well please, Fred, because apparently the same rule applies to you."

"Oscar," Weasley whispered gently. "It's not that-"

"I don't care what it's not like, Weasley." I felt my eyes widen at the use of the last name. This sounded very much like what Taran and I had gone through earlier today. I put my hand before my mouth before I could gasp. No way.

"You obviously made your choice, I just hope you can live with it." Without another word, Wood sat down on his bed next to mine, shut his curtains and the silence returned to the dorm.

I looked at Fred Weasley who seemed quite sad with the turn of events, but after a couple of seconds he shook his head and went to his own bed.

Only when I heard Weasley snore, did I turn on my back and stare at the dark ceiling. I had no idea what I had just heard. Or well, I did, but... Surely I misinterpreted things?

I heard a suspicious sniffling noise in the bed next to mine and thought back to earlier today. It had felt nice when Potter had stroked my hair, even if I would have loved for it to be Cassandra stroking it. It had felt nice that someone cared enough for you to stand by you in times like this, even if it was your arch nemesis. I hesitated. At least, I hadn't wanted to be alone at that moment. But maybe Wood was different from me?

And who says it was like that anyway?

The sad sigh that filled the room, made my decision. I swiftly left my bed and opened Wood's curtains. He stared at me, eyes wide and shocked. There were indeed tears in his eyes but they hadn't fallen yet.

"What do you want, Woodstock?" he asked softly, turning on his back to stare at the ceiling, while I closed the draperies.

"Potter's tossing in his bed again and I can't frigging sleep," I lied.

Wood scoffed and obviously didn't believe a word of my explanation. "You heard, didn't you?" he simply asked, looking away.

I nodded, not sure if he'd catch the movement, I added: "I'm not sure what I heard though."

Wood seemed to suffocate on something between a sob and a laugh. "You just witnessed another break up. The second you had today, you must be so proud."

"Don't be a dick," I immediately replied. "Break ups are tough," I whispered. "There nothing to joke about."

"Indeed they aren't," Wood muttered and we both remained silent for a moment.

I couldn't believe this. Weasley was almost as famous for his sleeping around as Potter was. What was up with that if he had been together with Wood? Wood and Weasley?

I just stared, wondering if my mouth would ever close again. With all the shocks I've been given today, I seriously doubt it, I thought bitterly.

"Wood?" I whispered, shivering a little. Damn, it was cold away from my soft covers.

"Hm?" he whispered back.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't want to talk about it," he simply said, before scooting over so I could decently lay down. "Rosemary?"

I bit my lip. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry too. About you and that prick."

"Taran," I corrected, balling my fists. "His name's Taran."

"I know," Wood muttered, "he was still a prick about it all in the Great Hall. He shouldn't have said those things."

"I don't really want to talk about it either," I whispered, glad that I had no more tears left. I was so done with the crying.

"Fair enough. Get under the covers, Rose, before you get sick."

I did as he said. After a silence that seemed to last forever, Wood spoke up again. "Rose?"

"Yes?" I asked and closed my eyes. I really was done with this day.

"Thanks for being cool about this." He cleared his throat. "I mean, for not freaking out."

"Give me a little time, I may freak out on you yet," I promised, not entirely sure I was joking around. It didn't have a thing against gays, but to find out Weasley and Wood were or had been a thing, was still quite a shocker.

Wood chuckled. "Alright."

"Good night, Oscar."

I heard a deep, resigned sigh. "Sleep tight, Rose."


	9. The moment Potter saw me naked

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

**_Hi guys,  
_**

**_ This is just going to be a quickie, because I don't have much time to give you the author's note you're all due (YAY for family obligations!), but thank you all SO MUCH for your kind reviews. Seriously, you guys are the best and I love reading what you think about it all!  
_**

**_This chapter is kind of a filler, nothing much happens in it, but to make up for my tardiness it is a long one. (Longer than the previous one was in any case.)  
_**

**_So enjoy and let me know what you think!  
_**

**_I'm also working on a cover for this story, so expect to be horrified amazed by my photoshop skills!  
_**

**_As always with love,  
_**

**_Kelly  
_**

* * *

**9: The moment Potter saw me naked  
**

I woke to loud voices and curses. I sighed and pressed my face harder into my pillow. The voices were way too low to be from my real dorm mates, which meant that sadly my nightmare hadn't ended yet even though I had woken up.

"Has anyone seen Woodstock?" I heard Potter yell and I scoffed softly.

Before remembering that I indeed wasn't in my own bed next to his. My eyes shot open and I found that Wood had draped an arm around me, spooning me from behind.

I bit my lip. Ah. This was awkward. I remembered how we had talked the night before and moved away from him slowly.

"Oscar, have you seen-" The drapery around Wood's bed moved away and Weasley's face took up the open space. He stopped mid sentence and stared at me as if I had three heads and a tail coming out of my ass.

I just raised an eyebrow, while Wood slowly stirred behind me. "Oi, you mind letting me go now?" I asked him gently.

Wood blinked, before moving away slowly as if it hurt him to move. "Sorry," he muttered.

"I found her," Weasley said over his shoulder to Potter. I pushed the curtain away completely and saw that Potter hadn't even left his bed in his search for me. Nice to know he was so dedicated to finding me, I thought, rolling my eyes at his laziness.

Wood completely froze at the sound of Weasley's voice, before smiling brilliantly at the lad. "Morning," he greeted, as he tumbled out of his bed and moved towards the bathroom as if he had all the time in the world. The boys watched him go, before their heads slowly moved back to me.

"Can I help you?" I asked them sweetly and moved back to my own bed so I could pick out a clean uniform for the day.

"Did she just-" the unknown dorm mate started, but Potter held up his hand to stop him.

"What happened last night?" Potter asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

I crossed my arms and studiously ignored Weasley. I wasn't going to pick any sides in this war that I wasn't even fighting in, but I'll be damned if I gave someone else's secret away. "Nothing happened."

Potter's eyes softened. "You can tell me, you know. I wouldn't tease you with stuff like this."

"Stuff like what?" I asked bitterly, snatching a blue bra and pants from my trunk. I quickly laid my uniform on top of them. No need to remind all of them of my lady parts. I looked up when Potter didn't answer and Weasley and the other guy just stared at me. "What?" I asked again.

Potter sighed and shook his head. "Whatever," he muttered, completely done with me and my bullshit.

I rolled my eyes. Honestly, sometimes I didn't know why I even tried. I waited patiently for Wood to come out of the bathroom and when he did, I was absolutely amazed. He looked his chipper self, a radiant smile on his handsome face, while he poked the other dorm mate in the side.

I transferred my gaze from wood to him. "I'm sorry, but what was your name again?" I asked slowly, ignoring the chuckles that followed my very sincere question. I couldn't help it that my mother had actually taught me some manners unlike some of these chimpanzees.

The guy turned beet red and gave me an embarrassed smile. "Gregory Tate."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," I replied instantly. "I'm Rose."

"I know who you are," he murmured, before grabbing his bag and leaving. I blinked a couple of times, before shrugging it away. Fine. Scare the shy guy off. Check.

"Come on, Potter, I need a shower," I announced, already moving towards the bathroom as I spoke.

"I knew you were anxious to get me naked, Woodstock, but you don't need to use the shower as an excuse. All you need to do is ask," his smug voice replied from behind me.

I ignored the quip. He followed me into the bathroom, but only spoke up again after I had turned on the water and was enjoying the hot cadence of it on my skin.

"Are you okay?" Potter asked.

I stilled and bit my lip. I knew he was probably asking about Taran and the thought of our break up brought new tears to my eyes, but I shook my head. No, I was done crying about that. I had done that the whole day yesterday and I refused to let anyone see me like this. Well, James Potter had seen me like this and it wasn't like anybody ever minded letting their archenemy see them at their weakest, so... yeah. I wasn't going there again. "I'm fine," I replied smoothly. I took some shampoo and started on my hair.

"Is that why you slept with Oscar last night?"

"Potter," I warned softly, "let it go."

"I'm just curious."

"Wood was just comforting me," I lied, rolling my eyes at the whole thing. Honestly, he didn't need to fear me moving in on his friends or anything. Besides, Wood was as gay as a rainbow. Or so I gathered.

I was still quite shocked because of that little piece of gathered information. I mean... How long had that been going on exactly? And how in Merlin's name had they managed to keep it a secret for so long? Hogwarts was even worse than a whole season of Gossip Girl. If something happened, you could bet a billion galleons that the whole school knew about it an hour later. So how had they managed to date in secret?

I finished washing myself and commanded Potter to turn around, while I tucked the towel around my body. When I came out of the shower I patted his shoulder, so he could turn around again and studied him from the corner of my eye, while I dried my hair with a drying spell. Was he really that blind to his friends' emotions? Surely he must have noticed some kind of change when his friends first started dating?

Well, maybe not, I thought as I recalled how perfectly normal Wood seemed even though his heart had been shattered in a thousand little pieces only a couple of hours ago. That kid was one hell of an actor, I mused.

"Look, Woodstock," Potter started, absentmindedly messing his hair up with his right hand. "I know we're not going to see eye to eye on a lot of things, but you have to know that I would never tease you about something like this?"

"Wouldn't you?" I asked, sarcastically. Sure. Right. Whatever you say, Potter.

"Of course not!" he seemed aghast.

"So you didn't make a fool out of me when you found out I liked Taran two years ago?" I asked, putting my wand away before I stuck it somewhere it hurt. Like his eye.

Potter started chuckling at the memory of what he'd done to me. "Well, you were just so obvious about it-"

"Declaring my lady parts were ready to welcome his into my 'Chamber of Secrets' in front of the whole school, during an exam, isn't exactly what I would call a laughing matter, Potter," I shrieked.

Potter laughed, but quickly covered it up with a cough when he saw my murderous glare. "Well, it's not like that was a lie, now was it?"

"You disgust me," I said, slapping his chest hard. I moved to the sink to pick up my wand again, but Potter grabbed my hand before I got to it.

"Honestly, Woodstock, how do you expect anything exciting to happen to your love life, if you won't do anything about it?"

"Exciting? Like what, Potter? My boyfriend breaking up with me while calling me a whore at the same time?" I screamed. "That excitement enough for you?"

Potter rolled his eyes. "You really have thing for drama, don't you? Besides he called you a slut, a whore is someone who gets paid for-"

I started smacking him again until he grabbed hold of both my wrists and turned me around.

"Enough with the smacking. Why is it that you're always hitting me, woman? Are you into that kind of stuff or something?"

I opened my mouth in indignation and was ready to give him a piece of my mind, when he turned me around. I stood with my back against the wall and looked at the iron grip he had on my wrists. "You mind letting go of those?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at the annoying wizard in front of me.

"Yeah, I do," he grinned.

I snarled something foul and very unladylike that would make my mother's ears ring. I tried to get my hands free and started pulling and moving around. Just when I got one hand free, my towel slipped off my body and I completely froze.

As did Potter actually.

His eyes, however, were taking in the view as quickly as they could. It felt like his eyes left a burning trail all over my body, making me want to either scream in embarrassment or purr like a sex kitten. Obviously, I chose the first option. "CLOSE YOUR EYES, YOU PERVERT," I yelled, slapping my hands in front of his eyes so he couldn't see anything anymore.

His voice sounded amused when he spoke again. "You do realize that by slapping your hands against my eyes, your body's completely pressed against mine? Your naked body?"

I shrieked again and turned him around, removed my hands and quickly dashed to the towel on the floor. I held it in front of me as if it could save me from all the bad things in the world and, more importantly, from Potter's prying eyes.

Potter whistled appreciatively when he turned around again. "Looking good, Woodstock."

I balled my fists and ignored the blush creeping on my face. Morgana damn him, I thought, trying not to either burst into tears or unleash my inner banshee again. "Don't you need to shower?" I asked, crossing my arms in front of my chest.

Potter's eyes followed my movement and stayed on my covered boobs for what felt like hours. "Hm-hm," he agreed and slowly tore his eyes away from me. Without another word he got into the shower, leaving me in front of the mirror with an utter mortified look on my blushing face.

"If you ever tell anyone what just happened, I _will_ kill you," I solemnly promised him.

The only thing the ratfink did, was laughing at me, which really didn't do anything for my self esteem issues.

* * *

"Come on, Rosemary. You've got this," Wood whispered in my ear, while the four of us stood in front of the Great Hall.

"How can you be so calm?" I hissed back. Oscar Wood really amazed me. Not once did his cheerful façade slip and not once did he look at Weasley in any other way than a friend would. I admired his acting skills, I really did. There wasn't a cell in my body that wasn't mortified of going in there and facing the ugly gossip and my hot ex-boyfriend, while Wood seemed completely at ease with himself and the company he kept. Damn the prat.

"Since when do you call her Rosemary?" Potter asked, raising an eyebrow and thus saving Wood from answering me.

"Since they slept together apparently," Weasley muttered darkly, bumping into me on his way into the Great Hall.

I would have asked what his problem was, but I imagined I already knew. Wood gave me a speculative look, before mumbling something to himself and followed Weasley in.

I glanced at Potter and saw him staring after his friends with a puzzled look on his face.

"I wonder what's going on with Freddie," he murmured to himself before looking at me and catching my stare.

He smirked and nodded at my boobs, as if they were long time friends, with a knowing look.

I could honestly feel my eyes spitting fire and smacked him again.

"You really need to stop hitting me," Potter hissed, rubbing over his shoulder with an annoyed expression. "I really don't understand why you insist on doing that."

"Asshats like yourself make me want to hit stuff. Somehow you're always closer to me than anything else, which makes you my personal punching bag. Congratulations," I told him and walked into the Great Hall with my head held high. I would never admit this out loud, but fighting with Potter gave me more confidence than almost everything else.

Unless, of course, he did something mortifying to me that made me want to cry for my mummy in a corner of the castle. But besides those moments that only ever happened every other month or so, fighting with him gave me a little bit of an edge. Needlessly to say I could use all the edges I could right now.

Potter followed me and sat down next to me. I looked at Wood, who sat on my other side and saw him merrily putting food on his plate.

My eyes immediately started searching for Taran and I shrunk back in my seat when they found him. He seemed livid as he stared at me from the other side of the room. I looked away and breathed slowly in and out, trying to master my tears. I had made myself a promise that I wouldn't let anyone see me cry today and I would be damned before I broke it.

Wood started filling my plate after his was overloaded with food and gave my hand a comforting squeeze when he was done. "Eat," he urged me and just when I picked up my fork to do just that, my best friend sat down in front of me and stared at me compassionately.

"I came to the Gryffindor common room as soon as I heard," she started, "but no one would let me enter." She gave all the Gryffindors around as an angry look. "Oh God, Rose, I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you yesterday. Are you okay? Do you need chocolate? Do you want to make a trip down to the kitchens?"

I shook my head and stared at my plate. "No."

"No?" Cassandra repeated. "No, you're not okay or no you don't need any comfort food?"

"No to both," I sighed. Wood gave my plate an obvious look and I started eating slowly. As soon as the food hit my tongue, however, I was reminded that I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast the day before. I finished my food in a matter of minutes and then pushed it away again. I felt the urge to eat more, but was afraid I might throw up if I did.

"We really need to talk," Cass said, her eyes begging me for my forgiveness. "I'm such a bad friend. I know how much you liked Taran and I really should have been at breakfast yesterday, but I overslept and when I finally heard what had happened classes had started. I had hoped to catch you there, but when you didn't show up I didn't know what to do." She grabbed my hand and, just like Wood, gave it a gentle squeeze. "You know I'm here for you, right?" she asked, just as the morning mail arrived.

I nodded. "I know, honey, I know. I just wasn't really in the mood to speak with anyone yesterday. All I did was cry, really. The only good thing that came out of it was that I got to torture Potter with it."

Potter scoffed. "You love me and you know it," was all he said, before stuffing his face with so much food I was afraid his mouth would spill over.

"Honestly, don't you have any table manners?" I asked him and even saw Cass give him a disgusted look. "Honestly, Cass, why do you fancy this?" I gestured to all of Potter, who gave Cass a wink in return.

Cassandra blushed and shrugged my question away. I was so happy that Cassandra was a sweet soul who didn't resent me from spending my every waking hour with her crush, but then again she did know how much I hated Potter.

When I heard someone mutter 'skank' behind my back, I turned around and saw two Slytherins slither by.

"Just ignore them," Cass advised, while the boys conversed about the upcoming Quidditch game. When one of the Slytherins turned around to give me a condescending look, Cassandra shouted angrily: "Yeah, you keep walking!"

The girls rolled their eyes, but continued on their way to their seats.

"Thanks," I muttered softly.

"I'm sorry," Cass said again. "Next time something like this happens, owl me, okay?"

When I promised her I would, we waited impatiently for the boys to finish their breakfast and read their mail. Like always I didn't get anything, nor did Cassandra, but we weren't really bothered by it anymore. After all, not getting any letters from home could only upset you so many times, before even that becomes a bore. When Weasley tossed me a small package, I only just managed to capture it.

"What's this?" I asked him, turning the package around in my hands.

"The parchment you asked for," Weasley replied smoothly. "There are two pieces of parchment in there. If you write something on one piece, it will automatically appear on the other. If you tap your wand twice on it, the words will erase themselves so you can write over them."

"So wicked," Cassandra breathed, when I handed her the package.

"How much do I owe you?" I asked Weasley, thinking of the money in my trunk.

Weasley shrugged. "My father said to tell you that it was free of charge. He wrote and I quote: "Anyone who can deal with that prick of a nephew of mine deserves all the support she can get." So, yeah."

"Traitor," Potter muttered, while Wood laughed at it all.

"You're all crazy," I announced, but I gave Weasley a grateful smile. "Thank you, Weasley. This is exactly what we needed." I mentally noted to write a letter to his father with my thanks.

"You're welcome, Woodstock," Weasley said, before finishing his breakfast. "Ready?" he asked his mates.

I hesitated and looked around the Great Hall. I sincerely doubted I was ever going to be ready for this day. I followed when Wood stood up and led us all out of the Great Hall. I felt like I got slapped every time a glare was tossed my way or hurtful word reached my ears.

Yes, I was so not ready for this.


	10. The moment I signed away my soul

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

**_Hi guys,  
_**

**_I absolutely hate this chapter. I think it's one of the worst chapters I've ever written, so beware that I might rewrite it sometime soon. (It's also undoubtedly full with grammatical errors and typos. Sigh. Even though I quickly reread it.)  
_**

**_The reason why I'm uploading it now, even though I'm seriously unhappy with it, is because I just couldn't let you guys wait any longer for it. I felt seriously guilty because I received several messages begging me to update; so here I am. Updating. Yeah._**

**_I hope you guys at least enjoy it better than I did :P Thank you so much for your kind reviews and opinions! _**

**_(I know I said I was going to make a cover for this story but my antivirus killed my photoshop. I have no idea why, but I do know someone who'll be sent up to bed without supper tonight. Damn it.)  
_**

**_As always with love,  
_**

**_Kelly  
_**

* * *

**10: The moment I signed away my soul**

_Does this really work?_ my magical parchment asked me, in the middle of professor Gerwick's lecture on televisions.

I grinned at that and immediately replied that of course it worked.

_ Awesome. I've finally got my best friend back! So what's the gorgeous James doing?_

I felt slightly guilty about her comment. It was true that I have been a bad friend as of late and the excuses I've been making up in my head (like how it wasn't my fault that Potter ruined my life with his petty Slytherin fights) just didn't cut it anymore.

** I'm sorry I've been such a bad friend to you. You deserve better...**

As to her question... I looked to my right and saw that Potter was drawing some classy boobs on the top of his parchment. I rolled my eyes at that and poked his side. "Pay some attention," I scolded him.

Potter gave me the evil eye. "This stuff is boring. We've got a television at home, I know what it does. Aren't your parents Muggles? Why are you following this class anyway?"

I ignored him as I usually did. He probably wasn't interested in the fact that I enjoyed learning things through the eyes of wizards. I mean... Everything just seemed so fascinating when you looked at it through their point of view. As if we were the magical creatures with weird habits instead of them.

I wrote back to Cassandra.

**He's drawing some really classy parts of the female body.** I glanced at his parchment. **He's enhancing them and just tattooed his name on the left breast. Help?**

_ Hahaha! Tell him I said hi!_

Yeah. No. Not gonna happen.

_You didn't tell him, did you?_

Drat it. "Cass says hi," I whispered to Potter as Gerwick started on how to use the remote of the television. He messed up some of the buttons and I just shook my head. I once tried to correct the good professor and the only thing that came out of it was a long and boring lecture on respect for your superiors and a detention. Needlessly to say, I never tried to correct him again.

Potter looked away from his inhumanly large boobs to face me for about a whole second, before he stole my parchment and started drawing boobs on it.

I gave him an ugly look. "What do you think you're doing?" I hissed, while trying to get it back from him.

Potter just chuckled and quickly finished his drawing, before throwing the parchment back on my paper.

_Why are you sending me boobs, Rose?_

**That's Potter saying hello to you,** I wrote back, furious with the bastard. I smacked him on the head.

"Ow!" he yelled, quietening the whole class. "What the bloody hell was that for?"

"That was for drawing boobs on my parchment, you swine."

"Miss Woodstock and Mr Potter, what is going on with you two?" Professor Garwick demanded to know, putting his hands on his hips while trying to look stern.

Potter put his arm around me and pulled me closer to his body. "Ah, professor, you see, our Rose here has quite the case of the unrequited love going on here. She's madly in love with me, but she can't come to terms with it."

I narrowed my eyes. "That's not it at all, professor. He's just out to irritate me today."

"Then why are you trying so hard to deny it, puppet?"

"Mr Potter, how about you only speak for the remainder of this hour if you've got something to say that we don't already know." Excuse me, what?! "Miss Woodstock, do try to pay attention to what I'm teaching you. You may one day need it."

I felt my face flush with embarrassment and shook my head. "But professor," I sputtered, while Potter tried to hide his laughter.

Professor Garwick gave me a weird look, before interrupting me smoothly. "No buts, Miss Woodstock. Maybe if you concentrated on your studies more instead of Mr Potter you would actually get an E in this class instead of an A."

Potter guffawed and I couldn't do more than give him the evil eye while I blushed. Damn him.

* * *

Potter and I were walking towards our next class, when I was forcefully dragged into a broom closet before either James or I could react. Well, so much for the quick Quidditch reflexes that he was always bragging about. Prat.

I turned to my attacker and raised an eyebrow when I saw who it was. "What the - What do you want?" I asked him, ready to smack him upside the head with my Transfiguration book.

Luckily for him, his reflexes were a lot better than James's as he dodged my hit and took the book away from me. "Hush," he said, before locking us up in the broom closet.

I grabbed my wand and pointed it at the door, ready to blast myself to my freedom, but Wood shook his head.

"Just hear me out, Rose," he muttered, before pointing his wand to the door again and muttered a spell that would surround us as a sound barrier. Nobody would be able to hear me scream now.

"Damn it," I breathed and pointed my wand at his face. "You're going to let me go right now, Oscar Wood, or I will hex you into the next century."

Wood just shoved my wand away and gave me a look. "I have a proposition for you, Rosemary."

"You either call me Rose or Woodstock. Not Rosemary," I said, frowning. I hated my full name. It always reminded me of my father shouting at me and throwing stuff at my head for not cleaning up after me. Sheesh. I stared at him when I realized what he just said. "A proposition?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Wood looked at the floor and shrugged, putting his wand away again. "Well... Yes... Don't you want your boyfriend back?"

The question took me aback a little and I leaned back against the door while I thought about it. Did I want Taran back? I thought about all the cat calls I had to endure today, all the nasty glares and leers. Did I want the person who caused all that back in my life? Who made me cry for twelve hours straight?

No, my brain screamed, while my heart just cracked a little more. I didn't want to let go of the dream. The plan I had for my life was smashed into a thousand pieces and I had no way of gluing it back together. I remembered the day I met Taran as if it was yesterday.

_ "Come on, come on," I muttered as I tried again to attach my letter to one of the school owls. I was twelve years old, in my first year at Hogwarts and I hadn't heard a thing from home. I hoped with whole my heart that my previous letters just hadn't reached them yet. After all it was only November and I had only sent three or maybe four letters, which didn't mean anything really. My parents would write to me, I told the black school owl with my eyes. My mother will. She loves me, I know she does._

_ The owl snapped at my fingers as if to mock my naivety. _

_ I scowled at it and was ready to throw my letter at its stupid head, when a voice from behind me spoke up._

_ "The trick is to let them think they are in charge," a boy told me with a kind smile. I turned around and almost fell, but managed to keep my feet under me. _

_ I blushed and coughed to hide my embarrassment. "What do you mean?" I asked. _

_ I knew the boy to be in Hufflepuff, just as I was. I thought his name was Taran or Taryn or something, I wasn't certain. He gestured to my letter, which I hesitantly gave to him._

_ He walked up to the owl with the upmost confidence and I instantly admired him. I was studying him as he explained to me how to handle strange owls and how to gain their trust. Naturally I didn't hear a word he said, but his freckles and sparkling eyes had my complete attention. _

_ I smiled as the owl flew away and as it soared in the sky, I could feel how my hopes and dreams took flight with it. _

It had started as a stupid crush, really, I now mused. It had quickly grown into something more and in third year we started dating. We had been inseparable since. I smiled at the many memories we made together and looked up to see Wood studying me carefully.

I sighed and shrugged. "I want him back, yes, but that will be impossible for as long as I am tied to that git," I answered truthfully. "And I doubt Taran would take me back even then."

Wood's eyes were kind and made me feel way more vulnerable than I was used to feeling. How had my life turned out like this? I used to be the one in charge of every situation. Ready to face whatever the day may bring me, but I wasn't that girl anymore and it ate at me.

"I would like some control back in my life," I whispered sadly, hitting my head against the wood in utter frustration. I felt like crying. I had no idea what was going on in my life and I hated how dependent I was on James Freaking Potter.

Wood smiled at that. "We all know how much you like to control things, Rose."

I frowned again. If I kept on doing that, I would have wrinkles before I turned twenty. "What?"

Wood hesitated, before giving me a slight nudge in the side which I didn't appreciate at all. He ignored my glare and his smile broadened. "Well, you are kind of a control freak, Woodstock. You aren't happy until things are going your way."

A control freak? Me? Just because I liked to have my things in order did not make me a control freak, damn him. "Things never go my way, as is proven by the annoying person just outside this door," I pointed out, giving him my best glare.

"Yes and you aren't happy now, are you?" he replied sweetly.

I got his point and I was angry that I had just proven it too. I narrowed my eyes even further until I only had two small slits to glare at him through.

"You look ridiculous," he laughed and I just couldn't help it. I shoved him against the wall. Several brooms fell on the floor, which we both were too lazy to really care about.

"You had a proposition?" I reminded him, tapping my foot on the floor impatiently. Just get on with it already, Woody.

"Yes. Well, even if you don't want Taran back you could use this to prove to him that you're totally over him," he mused to himself, rubbing his shoulder where I had pushed him.

I scowled. "I do want Taran back and I am not over him yet."

"Moving on," Wood just said, ignoring my comment with a flick of his hand as if to rid himself of my words. "I want you to help me win Freddie back."

I stared at him, my mouth almost hitting the floor while my eyes almost fell out of their sockets. "You want me to do what?" I asked as soon as I somewhat regained my composure.

"I want you to be my fake girlfriend to make Fred Weasley jealous," he clarified, looking me in the eyes. He was deadly serious and I couldn't help but burst into loud and disbelieving laughter.

"You want me to... and then you said... and, hahaha," I laughed, putting my hand against the door to keep myself upright as I laughed.

Wood crossed his arms in front of his chest. "It isn't funny," he muttered, a hard look in his eyes.

I laughed a little more, before I came back to my senses and slowly breathed out to calm myself. "Oof. Well, good talking you to Wood," I chuckled a little and shook my head. "Insane."

"I am serious, Woodstock. I want you to be my girlfriend."

"Wood," I replied softly, realizing that I wasn't getting away with only a good laugh to look back to, "you are gay."

He rolled his eyes. "I am well aware of that, Rose, and will you call me Oscar already? For Merlin's sake?!"

I swallowed and mirrored his stance, crossing my arms myself as I thought about the situation. Was I really going to think about this? "Well, let's say I'll do it... Why would he believe we are a couple?" Wood started to open his mouth, but I quickly went on. "No, listen, I mean... You just got out of a relationship with him. So he knows you don't play Quidditch on my kind of broom. Why would he believe us?"

"Didn't you see his face this morning? Before we entered the Great Hall? He was nearly killing you with his eyes, Rose! Honestly, I think he thinks I sought comfort last night."

"We both sought comfort last night," I said softly, putting my hand on his arm. I gave him a gentle smile and squeezed.

He smiled back, while tears filled his eyes. He didn't let them fall though and I couldn't help but feel the same kind of admiration I had felt for Taran so many years ago. He was so brave and strong, this Gryffindor. "I could never have acted around Taran like you did around Fred today. I admire you for that," I whispered, pulling him closer for a hug, because well, he needed it.

Just as he wrapped his arms around my body, the door burst open and our bubble of silence disappeared with it.

"Woodstock?" Potter asked, breathing heavily as if he had run a marathon in the hallway.

I rolled my eyes. "Will it keep Potter away from me?" I whispered into Wood's ear, who hadn't let go of me yet.

He pulled me closer, obviously trying to draw strength from my small frame. I wished him luck with that, I barely had any strength or sanity left anymore. "James would never do anything to hurt a friend. So yes, if you were my girlfriend he'd leave you alone," he whispered back, almost inaudible.

"Woodstock? Oscar? What are you two doing?" James Potter Junior asked rather stupidly if you asked me.

"What does it look like, Potter?" I snapped, pulling back from Wood a little. "I'm hugging my boyfriend, you prat. Now would you be so kind as to wait outside until I finish?" I felt Wood stiffen in my arms and couldn't stop the little smile that appeared on my face.

Potter pretty much resembled a dying fish on the shore while he stared at us in the doorway.

"Also was it necessary to blow up the damn door, Potter? Honestly, can't you just knock? Didn't we already have this conversation about your knocking anyway?"

Potter stared at us, mouth agape, while he shook his head slowly. "You two are... What?" Potter gave Wood an incredulous look. "You two are what exactly?"

"She's my girlfriend, James," Wood - I mean Oscar - said with a smile, his finger squeezing their thanks into my back.

If I had expected a loud, surprised reaction from James Potter, I was sadly disappointed.

"When?" He spoke softly, his mouth firmly closed and his face devoid of any emotion except polite interest.

I frowned at his calm reaction. Potter seemed completely composed as if it was the most normal thing in the world for one of his best friends to date his arch nemesis. What in Morgana's name was up with that?

"Since yesterday," Oscar replied smoothly. "I comforted her last night and we-"

I coughed and imagined Potter seeing me naked. A blush instantly appeared on my face and I shook my head. "Oscar, he doesn't need to know about that," I whispered loud enough for Potter to hear.

Oscar looked down at me and held his head to the side. "I don't really keep anything from my friends, Rosie," he said gently, wiping a stray hair out of my face.

I pinched his ass for the Rosie thing. Asshat. "Well, then that's going to change. They don't need to know anything about our sex life, Ozzie."

Oscar snorted. "Ozzie?"

"Rosie?" I replied.

Potter rolled his eyes. "If you two are quite done, we have a Transfiguration lesson to go to, remember?"

I was disgruntled at Potter's reaction to all this craziness. I have absolutely no idea what I did expect him to do or how I expected him to react, but this wasn't it. I eyed him suspiciously. Would he go psycho on me later on? When it was just the two of us?

"So we're cool?" Oscar asked, as he fixed the door before pulling me to his side while we walked to our class.

Potter laughed at that. "Yeah man, we're cool. Just expect a sincere 'I told you so' when she finally bites off your head."

"Hey, nobody asked you Potter," I snarled.

"He just did, _Rosie_."

I gave Oscar a mean look behind Potter's back. He was so going to pay for that one.


	11. The moment I knock-knocked on Wood

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

**_Hi guys,_**

**_I COME BEARING GIFTS! This chapter actually turned out completely different than expected. Wow. Lots of Wood in this one. Oscar's really starting to grow on me, guys. I think I might keep him around for a little while longer ;) Also this chapter will tell you all a little bit more about how this thing James and Rose have got going on started. Are you excited? (I swear, I did not intend to write this already, but the story has a will of its own. Meh.)  
_**

**_Anyway, I woke up this morning with this lovely alert on my phone. _**_Bubbles23 **I know you're reading this, this one's for you! :D Hope it lives up to your expectations! I'd also like to thank the other two people who reviewed on the last chapter (Forever Siriusly Sirius (awesome name btw!) and Honey Badger), you people are absolutely awesome! Thank you so much for reading this :D**_

_**Now everybody send me some positive thinking, so I might rid myself of this cold! :')**_

**_As always with love,  
_**

**_Kelly_**

* * *

**11: The moment I knock-knocked on Wood**

"I don't think we should be doing this," I told Oscar that night.

He stopped fussing with my hair and sighed as if to indulge a child. "Why not?"

I nudged him with my head so he would continue stroking my hair. I liked the way his fingers felt when they went through it. It was like a free head massage. "Who said you could stop? Go on." I only continued when I felt his fingers again and closed my eyes contently. "Well, I don't think it's working for one. Weasley didn't seem concerned about us at all," I told him gently, not wanting to hurt his feelings. Weasley hadn't been outright cold to us the whole day, as I had actually expected he would be. No, he had been hopping around and loudly booming the announcement of the "happy couple" through the hallways. Much to my horror.

I was being treated like a social pariah out to catch the next hot piece of ass just to spite everyone. At least, that's how I was being treated. Words like skank, whore and slut were now a synonym for the name Woodstock and were used interchangeably as soon as I got within earshot. I hated the way people talked about me and seemed to give me the evil eye as soon as I tried to speak with them. For instance I tried to ask Tatiana from Ravenclaw for a piece of parchment and that situation escalated rather quickly.

_"Why are you even in this class anymore, Woodstock?" I stared at her for the use of my last name. We've always been on good terms and used to address each other with our first names, so her using my last name felt like a slap in the face. _

_ "I - I don't understand. What do you mean?"_

_ Oscar held his head carefully to the side, which probably went unnoticed by everyone else. He was clearly listening in to our conversation and if the narrow slits of his eyes told me anything, he really wasn't happy with what he was hearing. _

_ "Well, it's obvious you cheated on Taran because you wanted to work yourself up in the hierarchy of this school, but something must have gone wrong or something."_

_ I narrowed my own eyes at that. "Oh?" I asked. "How do you figure that?"_

_ "Well, you did shag James Potter, did you not?" She gave me a smirk that made me feel like a gum stuck on her shoe. "But he must have ditched you too or something. Honestly, Woodstock are you that bad in the sack?"_

_ I opened my mouth, ready to give that Ravenclaw piece of Hippogriff something she wouldn't forget for a long time, but Oscar beat me to it._

_ "Don't listen to her, sweetheart. She's not worth your time," Oscar whispered in my ear, but loud enough for her to hear. _

_ "Not worth her time? I'm sorry, Oscar, but have you completely lost your mind? What are you even doing with her?" she asked, sending him such a sweet smile that it made my teeth ache._

_ A light began to dawn though. Did she like him?_

_ "Having fabulous sex," Oscar replied with a wink at me._

_ I giggled and gave him a quick peck near his mouth. His eyes widened in surprise, but quickly got a lazy glint to them as if he had just had the shag to end all shags. "You're not so bad yourself," I told him in the best breathy voice I could muster._

_ Oscar's finger stroked my cheek for a little, before we turned around in our seats again. "Oi, Fred, you got some parchment for us?" he shouted to Weasley, who unfortunately was seated on the other side of the room. That to Oscar's delight got us the attention of the whole classroom. Even Potter, who was seated in front of me, because we couldn't be apart for farther than that, looked over his shoulder with a grin._

_ Professor Longbottom turned around and gave us a frown. "Mr. Wood and miss Woodstock, please come prepared to my classes next time."_

_ I gave him a cheeky grin. "Sorry, professor Longbottom."_

_ He simply shook his head and knocked on the blackboard to bring our attention back to the matter at hand. As if to say that was that and there's nothing more I can do about those two hopeless cases._

_ Fred grinned at us and levitated some parchment our way, totally unbothered that I had just almost kissed and flirted with his ex. _

Oscar's fingers unconsciously pulled at my hair, until I gently touched his hand and he released his grip a bit. His fingers went through my hair absentmindedly. We had put a silence charm around the bed so we couldn't be overheard and had gotten a lot of catcalls because of it too. If only they knew what we were really doing here. "Either he never cared for me or he's a mighty fine actor."

I turned around and laid my head on my arms, my arms on his chest and studied him for a little while. The pain shone bright in his eyes and I had no idea what to do about it. "You are an incredible actor yourself, Oscar," I told him mildly. "If I hadn't overheard what I had the other night, I never would have guessed anything had gone down between you two."

Oscar shrugged. "You learn to deal with all the secrets," he muttered, staring blindly at the ceiling.

"Yes," I agreed, "but you shouldn't have to. Look, I'm aware that I don't really know you all that well and that we have been hanging around a lot recently due to dire Potter circumstances, but-"

He interrupted me. "Dire Potter circumstances? That's what you're going with?" he smirked.

"Yes, you can read all about it in my biography. I'm sure there will be a chapter with exactly that as a title," I replied tartly.

Oscar smiled and I was happy to see that it was a real smile, white teeth and all. "Honey, you can't even process your whole history with James in one chapter. Do you remember when you tried to kiss him in second year and he set your hair on fire?"

I narrowed my eyes. "I did not try to kiss him in second year."

Oscar was outright laughing by now. "Yes, you did. You were even giggling."

"I was thirteen. Thirteen year-olds don't make out. What? They don't. Stop making that face, Oscar Wood. I was not trying to kiss him!" I hit him with one of his pillows until his laughter subsided.

"Okay. Okay. You did not try to kiss him in second year," he admitted. "But you were really cute with whatever you were trying to do though."

"Yes, I was a very cute bald little girl."

"Oh come on, Madame Mince fixed your hair first thing the next morning!" Oscar exclaimed.

"And that is supposed to make it all better?" I replied, crossing my arms and looking at the ceiling myself. I really didn't understand why any of this mattered. If I wanted a trip down memory lane I would have used a Pensieve. Okay, okay. In all fairness I had tried to kiss Potter in our second year. Cassie and I had had a deep discussion on all things boys and had come to the conclusion that neither one of us had any experience with them. So we decided to change that. We both appointed the other a boy that she was meant to kiss. I pointed out Todd Crabb from Slytherin and she assigned me to James Potter.

I had been nervous as hell, hence the giggling, because why would the son of the famous Harry Potter let me kiss him, right? Not to mention that even though his hair was a complete mess, he really had those pretty brown eyes and had been damn cute. Even then. Not that he isn't cute now, mind you. He's actually quite handsome and I would be a fool not to notice that. I might not like the guy, in fact I hated him and I loathed the fact that I was bound to him 24/7, but I could appreciate male beauty just as well as any other girl in this school.

But well... I was kind of a loner back then, besides Cassandra and I didn't have any other friends (which apparently was quite rare for a Hufflepuff) and I was secretly hoping that Potter and his gang would like to hang out with us as well. They had seemed like a lot of fun; going around playing pranks on everyone and wherever you went you could hear the echo of their laughter. It was an oddly comforting sound to hear for someone with my home life.

Anyway. So I walked up to him, right? Trying to act all cool about it, but I was really stuttering and blundering my way through it all. In the end I just gathered all my courage, grabbed him by the shoulders and pressed my lips against his.

My hair had been on fire faster than I could have said Quidditch.

Needlessly to say, my hopes to be friends with the lad and his friends had quickly disappeared the moment I started running down the hallway screaming my head off. Luckily for me an older student used an Aguamenti spell on me, before I got any serious burns.

To this day Potter hadn't apologized to me for that.

"No, but we were kids. When are you going to let that go?" Oscar asked me with a slight frown.

I ignored that. He knew damn well that wasn't the only reason why Potter and I didn't get along. "We weren't talking about Potter and me. How did we even get on this subject?" I wondered out loud. "You are way too good at this subject changing thing," I accused Wood. I tried to think back to what I had been saying and nodded when I remembered what our previous topic had been. "Oscar, I realize we aren't really good friends, but I hope that maybe one day we can be. Because you truly are an amazing guy and Fred Weasley would be lucky to have you. The way you stood up for me during class today? Totally hot."

Oscar gave me a small smile. "You think so?"

"I mean sizzling hot," I said with confidence, because well... It had been hot. "Everyone likes a guy who will stand up for his friends and the guy he's in love with."

"Do they now?" he said, his smile widening slowly.

"Oscar, I'm going to call you Oz from now on," I told him. "From the Great and Powerful Oz." I gestured in the air as if displaying a banner.

"Who?"

I gave him a look. "The Great and Powerful Oz? The Wizard of Oz? Dorothy? 'We're not in Kansas anymore?' No? What have you been doing with your life?" I asked him aghast, when he just stared at me blankly, obviously wondering if I was still alright in the mental health department.

"No. What is it about?"

"Well, basically it's about this girl who's swept off to a magical kingdom by a tornado."

"A tornado?" he asked disbelievingly.

"It's a Muggle fairytale." I think. Maybe it was a book? It was definitely a movie, that much I knew. Ah, who cares. "Anyway, she needs to find the Wizard of Oz and only he can take her home. So you're Oz. The powerful wizard who's going to take me home."

Oscar snorted. "Well, honey, if I fell for girls I would certainly take you home."

I gave him a look. I was shocked that he could still talk dirty to me like that after all we had been through. "Yeah, Oz, keep that up," I said, patting his stomach in comfort.

"Hey, I thought you said I was sizzling hot!"

"Hot as the sun," I agreed.

"Then what's with the attitude?"

"_Babe_," I said, blinking my eyelashes at him until I thought I wouldn't be able to see straight for days, "somebody needs to keep that ego of yours in check. After all, how are you going to take me home if we can't fit in the same bed anymore?"

"Touché," he grinned and nudged me in the side.

I winked at him and realized that Wood could easily become a good friend of mine. And... honestly? I didn't mind at all. I was being honest when I told him I would like to be his friend. After all we were in this together, weren't we?

We were both trying to win our boyfriends back. Or at least trying to get a reaction out of them... This could also help keep Potter at bay, or so Oscar said. It had something to do with the "gentlemen's agreement" he kept on babbling about. I had no idea what that agreement exactly entailed and I wasn't really sure I wanted to know either.

Their world seemed to be a lot more complex than I initially thought, really. For instance they really didn't like me cleaning up their underwear while they are asleep. I always used my wand, because there was no hair on my head that thought about touching those things. Who knew where those had been?! No thanks. I'll pass.

I thought I was doing something good and nice for them, but they don't see it that way. I was messing with the 'vibe of their dorm' or something. They talk about it like it has a soul of its own and sometimes their antics scare me a little.

"Also, your name is Oscar."

He gave me a weird look. "So?"

"American actors and producers fight over that award every year. You're probably like America's most wanted and you'll definitely get to shag Leonardo DiCaprio if you introduce yourself."

"Who?" Oscar asked curiously, raising an eyebrow. Good Merlin and evil Morgana combined, he had not lived.

I tried to calm myself, before I continued on. "Well, he is kind of old for us... But you should come over at my place during the holidays. I'll show you what a proper man looks like."

"And what if I don't like him?" He raised an eyebrow, looking at me intently.

I waved the question away. "You will. Everyone loves Leo. He's hot."

"How old is he again?"

"I don't know... Forty something, I guess?"

Oscar coughed. "And why would he like me?"

I laughed at that. "Honey, your name is Oscar. He's been trying to get one for years. He really deserves one though. I don't understand what's gotten into that country, but it isn't some good acting sense."

Oscar just seemed nonplussed by it all and I comforted myself with the knowledge that he grew up without a Muggle as a neighbour. Oh, that reminded me. I made a mental note that I had to send Ben an owl soon, before concentrating back on the situation at hand. "And what if I don't like him?" he repeated his previous question.

"Then we're through," I said seriously and I meant it. "Our friendship will be over, so just tell me that you think he's good looking even if you hate him. Because, I swear to Merlin, I know your taste isn't all it's supposed to be, having dated Weasley and all," I got smacked on the arm for that, "but you will have to watch the Titanic. Or maybe Inception or something. I swear the man is like a good Muggle wine. He just gets better with age."

"You're starting to freak me out a little bit," Oscar laughed, poking me in the side.

I shrieked and quickly clamped a hand over my mouth.

"You're ticklish?" Oscar asked with a devilish glint in his eyes that I didn't like _at all_.

"No. I am not," I denied, "but we were having a serious conversation, Oz." I tried out the new nickname and liked it. I was so going to keep using this.

"My friends just call me Os, you know. With an S."

"Yes, but I will keep pronouncing it with a Z and you will shut up about it and like it," I simply replied with a waggle of my eyebrows. I tugged at his shirt and turned on my side so I could look at him. "Are we really doing this?" I asked, referring to our fake relationship.

Oscar was silent for a little while, before he slowly nodded. He turned his head to look at me and gave me a sweet smile. "Yes, we are. And it's really going to help us," he promised me.

Somehow I really doubted that.

I closed my eyes for a little while, but they flew back open when a finger poked me. Oscar started to tickle me and I held my ground for about four seconds, before I shrieked with laughter. I was wriggling on the bed, trying to get away from his fast hands, but he seemed to be everywhere.

"Stop! Oz! Stop!" I screamed, trying to smack his hands away. How in Merlin's name did he get so strong? Good Lord. He needed to stop this!

"Beg for mercy," he simply laughed, tickling me harder, until I indeed begged for mercy. Rather loudly with tears streaming down my cheeks. It wasn't a good moment for my pride.

I giggled a little and kissed his cheek. "Goodnight, Oz. You're a great guy, even if he can't see it right now. We'll make him see it."

I sat up and was about to open the curtains and break the silence charm we had put on them, when Oscar spoke.

"You are a dear friend to me, Rosie, and I'm glad you came into my life. However inconvenient the way you stumbled into it may have been."

I looked over my shoulder at him and smiled. "I will end this friendship if you don't stop calling me Rosie," I joked.

Oscar just winked. "GET YOUR ASS OUT OF MY BED, LASS," he screamed, the vague Scottish accent, that I had never really noticed he had, became much more pronounced.

"That accent's hot," I said, moving as if to fan myself. He laughed and literally pushed me out of his bed. I tumbled on the ground, still giggling, when I caught Potter's eye.

I shut up and gave him a sweet smile. "Goodnight, Potter," I told him, before crawling into my own bed. I heard Potter sigh.

"Goodnight Woodstock."

I thought about the time I had spent with Oscar and smiled in my pillow. It had definitely been a good night.


	12. The moment I completely lost it

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

**_OH. MY. GOD. PRAISE THE LORD AND ALL HIS CUTE LITTLE CHERUBS. THE CHAPTER FROM HELL IS DONE!  
_**

**_I have literally spent the whole day writing this one. The whole day. I just couldn't get over my temporary writer's block and if there are any typo's or grammar mistakes I just cannot be arsed to correct them anymore. (On the bright side, it's my longest chapter yet!) _**

**_IT IS DONE AND I FEEL LIKE THROWING A PARTY AND YOU ARE ALL INVITED. _**

**_God. _**

**_Anyway, thank you all lots for reviewing and following my story. You're all amazing. For those waiting to have more of the Great and Powerful Oz in this chapter, I'm sorry. But be patient. I love Oz too much to leave him in the sidelines too long._**

**_Keep reading and reviewing! It's because of your reviews, I keep updating :D_**

**_As always with love,  
_**

**_Kelly  
_**

* * *

**12: The moment I completely lost it**

_Excuse me. Hello? Remember me? My name's Cassandra? Your best friend?_

I pulled a face and saw Potter reading the parchment over my shoulder.

"She giving you trouble?" he asked me with a raised eyebrow, as if it was his business that Cassandra was upset with me for not telling her about me and Oz.

"No," I simply and rather shortly replied. The message should have been clear: butt out. Of course, Potter as thick-headed as he was, let the message go straight to voicepost. Voicemail? Hm. I had no clue what it was again that Ben used to receive messages on his telephone, but it was something like that. Right?

I frowned at my parchment when I realized that I had forgotten to send him an owl once more. He was going to kill me when I got home. I hadn't even explained the whole Potter thing, let alone that I would be coming home with a different boyfriend.

"I had no idea you fancied Oscar," Potter continued in hushed tones, while professor Gerwick mumbled away about electricity.

"I had no idea that it was any of your business," I smoothly replied, scribbling an apology back to Cassandra with a promise that I'd explain everything later.

"What's there to explain?" Potter narrowed his eyes at me, as if trying to figure out how the universe worked. I'm not even kidding, he had this intense look of concentration mixed with distrust and curiosity on his face that I didn't like one bit. I felt like he could look straight through my clothes, past my boobs and into my soul.

Well, if I was really honest with myself it wasn't like he hadn't seen me naked before, but that didn't mean I had to like that look on his face.

"Honestly, don't you tell your mates anything? Cassandra's dying to know how Oz and I got together," I hissed, turning my head away from him, hinting that I was done with this ridiculous conversation.

"As am I. How did you two get together again?" Potter demanded to know in that bossy tone his voice took sometimes.

I held my head to the side and kept my eyes fixed on the Muggle Studies professor as if what he was telling me was Merlin's word and I was an eager pupil.

"I know for a fact he isn't into you, so what aren't you telling me?" Potter asked, his voice slowly turning hard.

Stung, I turned towards him. "I wasn't aware we had a sharing relationship, Potter, but if you want one, you can have it. I don't even remotely like you, I hate you. So if you think I will ever trust my feelings and thoughts about current, future or past boyfriends, you are sadly mistaken."

Potter snorted at that. "If I remember correctly, I was the one who held you while you cried over that ridiculous Hufflepuff sod."

"I happen to love that ridiculous Hufflepuff sod, so you watch your fucking tongue, Potter, before I cut it off," I snarled.

"Happen to love? What about Os?" Potter asked, a smirk forming on his face. "What are you two up to? I know he couldn't have fallen for you, anymore than-"

"How dare you insinuate that I am not good enough for your friend," I started, ignoring his first question all together. I mentally lectured myself about watching my tongue and gently asked myself to not hit Potter's smug face again. Somehow my own voice of reason failed, because my hands were aching to do just that. "What? Am I not pretty enough for him, Potter? Not smart enough? Perhaps it is that I am not rich like you lot that has you upset. I'm sorry, we can't all be as fabulous and well provided for as you, Potter. We don't all have a daddy that defeated the Dark Lord to give us whatever we want."

I knew I made a mistake with bringing Harry Potter into the argument, when I saw Potter's face slowly flush red in anger. "What did you say?" His voice was deadly calm, which didn't reassure me at all, but I'd be damned if I took back those words.

"You heard me well enough, Potter. I'm sorry I'm not a rich gal or one of your ridiculous and stupid fangirls who will answer to your every whim. I am done playing nice with someone who has been nothing to me but a dickhead."

Potter blinked at me, before he started laughing. "I haven't been nice? Me? The one whose shoulder you cried on, while your boyfriend called you a whore in front of the whole school? I haven't been anything but nice to you, Hufflepuff."

My hand balled into a fist. How dare he use my House as an insult? "You are ridiculous, Potter. Don't take the fact that you are a worthless wizard compared to your dear old daddy out on me. We all know you will never accomplish anything your daddy didn't give you, so why don't you just stop? Stop being condescending, stop being smug, because honestly you haven't got a damn thing to be smug about. All you have, Potter, has been given to you."

"As if you have anything of your own. Please. All you have in your life are bad intentions and the people you use for your own good. That boyfriend of yours? Taran? You were with him because it was _convenient_. You didn't love him. You planned a future with the lad, because he had the same dreams you did. He was easy to control and if there is anything you need in your life, it is control, Woodstock. You only talk to your friend when it suits you and even she is starting to see you for who you really are and that is nothing but scum."

"I don't mistreat Cassandra in any way, you worthless piece of squid. You talk about me as if I'm a machine, without any feelings at all."

"Well, isn't that the truth? Even now with Os, you are using him as a puppet to get your previous puppet back. You disgust me."

I hadn't realized we were shouting, until I smacked my hand on the table hard enough for the sting to make me cringe. I looked around and saw that everyone was looking at us with jaws slack and eyes bulging out of their heads. Even professor Gerwick was looking at us like we were the best Quidditch game he had seen in ages.

I simply crossed my arms and looked away from the thing sitting next to me.

"It's no wonder he dumped you, really. I've been living with you for a week and I'm already ready to kill myself. How he managed to live with you for so long, will forever be a great achievement. He deserves sainthood, really."

"Shut up," I breathed, staring at the enchanted parchment that had filled with anxious questions from Cassandra.

"Or maybe he should run for a high position at the Ministry. I'm sure they could use people with saintlike patience like that," Potter continued angrily.

"Will you shut up?!" I screamed, my inner banshee revelling in the release.

It seems like that woke our dear professor Gerwick right up. "Enough! I have had it with you two. Out. OUT! Go to the Headmistress. Get out of my sight!" He went totally ballistic and moved as if he wanted to throw us out of his classroom himself.

I swallowed and calmly packed my things, trying not to cry. I might deny it all I want, but the things Potter had said to me stung like a Morgana. Potter followed me and I didn't stop to talk to him, until he grabbed my arm and made me stop.

"Look, Woodstock. I'm sorry I said those things," he muttered darkly, obviously not really all that sorry if the contempt in his eyes was anything to go by.

I stared at his feet and didn't say anything. I regretted the things I said, I really did, but I also knew that if I didn't stand up for myself now I probably never would. I would let Potter and his crew walk right over me and I wasn't about to let that happen.

"Woodstock," Potter repeated, trying to catch my attention, but I just shook my hand and pulled my arm from his grip.

"Let's just go to McGonogall and get this punishment over with," I muttered, continuing our walk to the headmistress's office.

I heard Potter sigh and could imagine him rolling his eyes.

I ignored him and murmured the password to the statues, before climbing the stairs. We knocked on McGonogall's office and were told to enter.

McGonogall gave us all a disapproving look, before telling us to take a seat. I folded my hands and found them utterly fascinating. I had polished my nails that morning and the bright blue interested me incredibly.

I heard Potter and McGonogall talk and I only dared look up when silence fell.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself, Miss Woodstock?" McGonogall inquired, looking deep into my eyes.

I squirmed in my seat. I had no idea what it was about McGonogall's piercing looks that made me regret every horrible decision I ever made. Well, no. That wasn't true. It was probably the act of piercing that that look did that made me resent it so much.

"I'm really sorry, Headmistress. I didn't mean to cause as much trouble as I did," I stated regretfully and didn't even have to try all that hard to look at her with the biggest puppy eyes I could muster.

I crossed my arms, hiding my blue nails from sight. I decided that I didn't like them after all. Blue wasn't my colour and they reminded me too much of Taran's eyes. The last thing I needed was to be reminded of Taran, really. Especially after the scream fest Potter and I had just orchestrated. Did he really think that lowly of me though? That it was only normal that Taran dumped me?

I remembered the day he saw me naked and literally cringed in my seat, causing McGonogall to gaze upon me in worry. He had literally told me that day that I was ugly and not really worth his time.

Was that what Taran thought as well? Too ugly to be worth fighting for?

My inner feminist screamed her head off at that thought. Everyone was worth fighting for, she yelled at my broken heart, but it did not listen. The pieces were already scattered and nothing I could do would fix them.

I was broken beyond a Reparo spell.

"Are you alright, Rosemary?" McGonogall asked me, kindness shining in her eyes.

Potter shook his head and stared at the window behind McGonogall.

"I'm sorry, professor," I simply repeated. I just wanted to get out of that office. I needed a trip down to the kitchens and bribe some of the House Elves for some hot chocolate. I could certainly use it.

McGonogall sighed deeply and remained silent for about what felt like hours, but was probably no longer than thirty seconds. She studied us from over her glasses, before she simply shook her head. "I'm not going to give you detention."

Potter's head shot towards her. "You're not?"

"No, Mr. Potter, I'm not."

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for the catch. What did she want us to do then?

McGonogall just gave us a knowing smile and nodded as if the universe's secrets were just revealed to her. Frankly, it just scared the magic right out of me. "No. I would like to say, before you two go on your way, that Madame Mince and your DADA teacher are working on a spell to lessen the pain of your... predicament."

"Lessen the pain?" I repeated. "You mean when we're too far removed from each other? The headaches?"

"That is correct, Miss Woodstock," McGonogall acknowledges. "We predict that the spell will be ready to cast a week before the Holidays."

That was five days from now. I bit my lip and nodded. "Thank you, professor," I said with a faint smile.

Potter echoed my response and we were both free to leave.

"Oh, Mr Potter and Miss Woodstock?"

I stopped and turned around to look at professor McGonogall who had a dancing twinkle in her eye, that made me think of mischief and jokes. "Try to behave in class. I don't want to see you two again until next week."

"Yes, professor," we both said in unison, before finally leaving McGonogall's office and her strange mood behind us.

"Aren't you going to apologize?" Potter wanted to know, while we descended the stairs.

"No, I'm not," I stubbornly replied, before fastening my pace, which was of course ridiculous. I couldn't outrun Potter. And if I did succeed I would drop on the floor, unconscious. I was in a hopeless situation and I was secretly excited that the teachers really were working on our problem. "Let's just hurry, Potter. I don't really feel like freaking out my past self, because you feel like crawling to the Gryffindor common room like a slug."

"Look who's talking," Potter muttered.

Ugh.

"So how have you been? Who are you?" Cassandra asked me with a raised eyebrow, while Potter did his best not to look bored at our Hufflepuff table.

I gave Cassandra a regretful smile. "I'm sorry I've been such a bad friend," I apologized again.

Cassandra gave me a blank look, before she looked pointedly at the Gryffindor table. "So you and Wood... Start talking."

I noticed how everyone started moving closer towards us to catch part of our conversation. I lowered my voice before I continued. "Well, we both consented to a relationship," I started, rather simplistic with a shrug.

"Oh be still my erratic heart. Tell me no more," Cassandra breathed dramatically, throwing her hand away from her as if reaching for a star from the Great Hall ceiling. "Oh, how my heart yearns for thine, my handsome wizard."

I threw my napkin at her and ignored all the curious eyes that were fixed on us, including Potter's. "Could you shout that any louder?" I hissed angrily.

Cassandra just gave me the this-is-not-my-fault-but-yours-look she was famous for and gestured for me to calm down.

She supported herself on the bench and bent forward so we would hear each other's whispers.

"Do you really expect me to believe that you suddenly fell in love with Oscar Wood?" she asked me with a disbelieving look in her eyes.

"Cass, you can't choose who you fall in love with," I used her own words against her.

Cassandra narrowed her eyes. "This is totally different from me falling in love with James Potter or Oliver Wood."

I made a face. "Please don't say that," I murmured, disgusted to my very core by the visuals that one sentence gave me.

"What? Are you blind? They're both hot, you daft cow," Cassandra berated me, hitting me on my head with the bread she was eating.

I gave her a glare. "Classy," I said, sitting back a little so I could get a spoonful of the delicious soup the house elves prepared.

Cassandra frantically gestured for me to move closer again and with a dreadful feeling in my stomach, I did as I was told. "Start talking, woman, or I'll make you sorry," she threatened me, rather loudly.

"Must we do this here?" I complained silently, not wanting anyone to overhear.

Cassandra grabbed my tie and pulled my face almost against hers. We were a breath away from one another and I just prayed to whichever god would listen that she wouldn't kiss me. I wouldn't put it past her, honestly. Cassandra did whatever she felt like and normally I wouldn't really mind her antics, but I couldn't use any new rumours about me right now. Imagine how happy everyone would be if I cheated on Oz with my best friend. Yes. The plot thickens.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm the daft cow?" I asked her, sending her daggers with my eyes in a loving way. No matter what Potter said, I refused to believe that I truly mistreated Cassandra. I didn't. Right? "Cassie?" I asked slowly, grabbing the hand that held my tie.

Cassandra quietened down, looking me worriedly in the eyes. She seemed to immediately understand that I was serious about the next thing I was about to say.

"Am I a bad friend? Do you feel like I'm using you?" I looked away from her and tried not to show how much I hoped she would deny what I was asking her.

Cassandra moved back a little, but didn't sit all the way back in her seat yet. She slowly turned towards Potter and pulled him closer to us by his own tie. I'm sure we made quite the sight, the three of us bent over the table with our heads together, while every normal witch or wizard in the Great Hall ate his or her dinner and Cassandra holding us both by our ties.

"You put that idea in her head, didn't you?" Cassandra hissed with proper murder in her eyes.

Potter didn't cringe - I had to give him points for that- but frowned a little bit.

"Cat got your tongue?" Cassie asked, giving him the evil eye before letting him go and pushing him away from us again.

I raised an eyebrow. "Do you always treat your crushes that roughly?" No wonder she was single.

Cassandra waggled her eyebrows. "Normally not outside the bedroom."

"Ew," I sighed, giving up on normalizing her perverted mind.

"But, no, Rosemary, you don't make me feel like you use me," Cassandra said gently, touching the hand that still held hers. We both loosened our grips and stared at each other. "I mean you can be a bit focused at times and sometimes I feel a little bit ignored, but that's just because you have tunnel vision, sweetheart. When you want something, it's like you can only visualize that and nothing else matters. It's annoying, but it's also one of the things I love so much about you. You're my little Mandrake of sunshine, remember?"

I felt tears fill up my eyes and blinked quickly, before they spilled over.

"Rose, please don't cry," Cassandra murmured, pulling me closer so she could hug me over the table.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, properly sobbing now. "It's just... These past few days have been so stressful and I can't do anything I normally do. The dorm is a mess and I'm not allowed to clean it up. I can't organize anything, because I don't have a closet and I don't want to share Potter's and he didn't even offer anyway. The only one who talks to me like I'm a normal human being there is Oz and everyone treats me like a pariah. I'm not a slag, I'm not a bad person. I don't deserve this," I whined, tears rolling down my face.

I saw Potter give me a sad look and he seemed oddly hesitant. He carefully laid a hand on my back and patted it awkwardly. I saw Cassandra give him a sweet smile in approval and I narrowed my tearful eyes at both of them. "Stop conspiring against me."

Cassandra patted my hand. "Honey, I understand that you're going through a rough time, but you have to stop feeling so bad for yourself."

I pulled my hand back and moved away from Potter's. "What?" I said, wiping my tears away.

Cassie closed her eyes for a second as if praying for guidance and patience, before she opened them again and continued. "Sweetheart, I love you dearly and it was to be expected that you would break down at some point, but nobody's conspiring against you and you can't control every aspect of your life. Nobody can. I know that you're going to continue trying to do so anyway as soon as I'm done with this speech, but sweetie, I'm here for you. Wood is there for you, although I still don't understand how you fell in love with him so fast. I mean I thought you would be sadder about Taran," my eyes filled again and I stared at the table top, "but it's like you're a woman on a mission."

"She's using Os to get him back," Potter butted in.

"Nobody asked you," I whispered softly, not really wanting anyone to hear what I said. Whether or not they heard me, Potter and Cassandra ignored me just as well.

"You know this for a fact or is this a suspicion?" Cassandra asked him slowly, ever the loyal friend. She would never take his word over mine, even though he was her handsome crush and I was a blubbering idiot that probably looked like a pig ready for slaughter. At least that was how I felt like anyway. Good Merlin, I really was feeling sorry for myself, wasn't I?

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Potter said bluntly. He opened his mouth to continue, but I interrupted him with a glare of my own that could easily rival Cassandra's. And that was saying something.

"This is my pity party, Potter, nobody asked you your opinion, so shut your mouth."

Cassie grinned. "If you're ready to snarl at Potter like that, you must be coming through whatever that was."

"Yes, thank you for your support," I spat out.

Cassandra gave Potter a look. "Oh good, she's getting angry already," she said softly, as if that would keep me from hearing her. Please. "She has these stages she has to go through when she gets really upset, you know. First she'll get really sad and after that she usually becomes angry. Either that or emotionless."

"Like when somebody dies?" Potter asked as the genius he deep down was.

"That's the wrong order, you moron," I snorted and gave Cassandra an evil look. "Even Tatiana hates me now, Cass."

She raised both her eyebrows at that news. "She does?" She seemed honestly surprised.

"She has a crush on Oz, I think. But my point is that I really could use your support right now." I angrily crossed my arms and gave her a look that told her I was damn serious about this.

Cassandra just laughed. The cow. "My little Mandrake, you know you have my love and support. Always."

"Stop giving me these sappy lines," I grumbled.

"You love me," she said in a singsong voice.

"Shut up," I sighed.

"I bet you dream about me naked."

I started giggling.

"Is that a blush I see?"

I laughed.

"Rosemary Woostock, I am shocked. How dare you dream about me naked."

I put my hand before my mouth while I laughed.

"My father will hear about this unless you make a honest woman out of me."

I burst out laughing. "Not even Merlin himself could make a honest woman out of you," I laughed.

Cassandra gave me a sweet, yet broad smile. "Welcome back, girlfriend."

I smiled back and ignored Potter's shocked look.

"I knew you two were crazy, but this goes even beyond my expectations," he muttered.

Cassandra leaned towards me again and gave me a meaningful look. "Well, what's up with you and Wood? Don't think you can escape me that easily, love."

I sighed. "It's just... He's not like I expected he would be, you know?" I started truthfully. I honestly didn't want to lie to my best friend, but this wasn't really my secret to tell, now was it? And I did like Oscar Wood, but only as a friend. He was amazing, sweet and had an incredible sense of humour. I never realized what a great bloke he was and somehow regretted the fact that we wasted so many years hating each other because of Potter. "He's funny and sweet and he really helped me through the whole Taran thing. If there's a reason why I'm not so sad anymore, or at least not as sad as I was the first day, it's because of him. I can really laugh with him and I've never had that with a guy before." Truth.

Cassandra sighed dreamily. "Continue, continue. I have to live through someone's love life."

Potter rolled his eyes and laid his head on his arms as he stared into the void that resembled his brain.

"Well, there's nothing much to tell really. We talk every night and I just don't want it to go too fast, you know? I don't want to give him the feeling like he's my rebound," I said silently. Lie.

God, I hated lying to her.

Cassandra nodded understandingly. "That's good. Give yourself time to get over your future with Taran, Rose. You have plenty of time to move forward with him. You just have to see that you don't rush it," she added.

I nodded. "I won't," I promised her solemnly and I really had no intention to move forward with anyone right now, nor to get over my future with Taran and Oz was going to help me realize that. Just not in the way they thought.

I was going to be an Auror. I was going to mother Taran's two children.

You just watch me.


	13. The moment Potter proposed

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

**_Hey guys,  
_**

**_This chapter is gonna be a quickie. It's kind of a filler and really short and nothing much happens in it. But it has some Oz! So. Yay!_**

**_The next one is going to be a lot longer, so that's something at least!_**

**_BUUUT! I finally made that cover I have been promising! (HobbitInTheHood is my wattpad name, btw!) _**

**_This is the direct link: albums/ i471/ Kelll1/livinginthemomentdefinitief_zps02f6c4bb. jpg Just take out the spaces and you'll be good to go!  
_**

**_So? What do you all think?_**

**_As always with love,  
_**

**_Kelly  
_**

* * *

**12: The moment Potter proposed**

I stared ahead into a big, dark nothing, until some twat bumped into me and pulled me right out of my stupor. James Potter grabbed my arm and snarled something to the passerby about watching his step, before letting me go again. "You okay?"

"My hero," I said absentmindedly.

Potter rolled his eyes and we marched on to our Care of Magical Creatures class that we both still took. I tucked the Timeturner under my shirt and looked up just in time, to pull both of us behind a statue.

I stared after myself, bickering with Potter about his table manners, which were horribly lacking by the way. "I'm never going to get used to this," I sighed and watched how Weasley and Oz followed after us, both looking at everything but each other. Oz's gaze fell on our statue and I could easily see the hurt he was so desperately trying to hide.

My heart ached for him. It really did, but I had no clue how I could help him. I've been pretending to be his girlfriend for something short of a week now and all it caused Weasley to do was shag more girls than Potter normally would this time of year. And believe me, how that boy managed to not get any diseases will forever baffle me.

How do I know that he doesn't have any? Well, I simply asked him. If I had to practically share a shower and bed with the lad, I was sure as hell going to make sure that the prat was clean. I didn't want to die because of a sexual transmitted decease of which I didn't even got to enjoy the act of contracting it. Please.

"I expect McGonogall will call us soon enough. They were working on some kind of cure, weren't they?" Potter asked me slowly.

I shrugged in reply and checked again to make sure the coast was clear. Even though past me knew I was probably walking around in the future or the now or - you know these things really mess with my head. Anyway, I just didn't want to encounter my past self in the past. According to McGonogall bad things have happened to people who've tried to change the past, so I won't be doing none of that.

And the way Potter's lustful gaze was now following a perky blonde from my house, made me promise to all females in this building that I would make sure that he didn't either. "Come on, Casanova, let's go."

"Who is Casanova?" Potter asked, while I literally dragged him from behind the statue and pushed him towards the exit.

Boy, was he in for a real culture shock when he met Ben, I thought as I pushed our way towards our next class.

* * *

"You cannot be serious," I told Potter crossly, crossing my arms in front of my chest. The bloody git was trying to get me to come to his Quidditch training. I do not like Quidditch. I just didn't get it. Why would you crawl on a broomstick to play a silly game in which you could easily plummet to your death? No. I really did not get it.

Potter had the expression of an exhausted parent on his face to which I took great offense. "I am deadly serious, Woodstock. I didn't complain when you dragged me to the owlry to send your stupid letter."

"The owlry isn't the same as a Quidditch match!" I shrieked. Walking me up to the owlry so I could send another letter to Ben and my parents, didn't compare at all!

Potter sighed and rolled his eyes heavenward. "This isn't a Quidditch match. Just a training. We're not even getting on a broom."

I hesitated as I thought over his words. "We're not?" I repeated uneasily and very unsure.

Potter gave me a smile that could almost be described as comforting. "No, we're yelling at the players on the ground."

I nodded. Okay. Maybe I could handle this after all. "Okay," I said slowly, allowing him to guide me towards the playing field and into a little stone building that I guessed held the dressing rooms. When we entered everybody grew silent and stared at me. Wood gave me a brilliant smile, whereas Weasley raised his eyebrows.

"Really, James? Does she have to tag along everywhere?" a blonde girl whined. I could vaguely remember that she was called Emily or Emma.

"It's part of McGonogall's punishment, Emmaline," Potter answered calmly and gestured for everyone to take a seat. Ha! I knew it was something along those lines. I gave the cute little blonde a smug look, which, by the angry look her eyes got, she totally misunderstood. I shook my head at her, but it didn't really seem to help my case. Merlin, if looks could kill.

I grabbed Potter's arm and moved him closer to Oz so I could sit next to him.

Oscar gave me a wink and I giggled, grabbing his hand and squeezing it in the process. Yes, giggled. Silly isn't it? What people do to uphold charades, I mean?

From that moment on I completely zoned out. I knew Potter must have been saying something about the chasers, because I saw Oz and Weasley nod, but that's about it. I completely missed their strategies and theories, which caused me to snort when _Emmaline_ complained that I could blab everything to the Hufflepuff captain at the end of their discussion.

James Sirius Potter laughed at that. Loudly and condescendingly. "Even if she does, we'll easily beat them. I doubt Sprancer is smart enough to even understand what we have been saying here."

"Hey!" I automatically protested. "I'm not saying that I'm going to blab everything, but maybe I should. Because if you go into the game with that attitude, you clearly don't deserve to win."

Potter rolled his eyes. "Sure, love."

I tried to kick him, but he jumped just out of reach. "You animal."

"Rawr," he said, making clawing motions toward me with a wicked glint in his eyes that, quite frankly, scared the magic right out of me.

"Hey hey," Oz said, pulling me closer to him so I was sat on his lap. "Get yourself a girlfriend of your own. This one's taken," he said, pulling my face closer to his and tapping my nose. I smiled broadly at the cute expression of possessiveness on his face. I laid my head on his shoulder and snuggled closer to him.

"Ugh," Finnigan exclaimed. "Must you?"

"Yes," Oz replied, caressing my temple with his lips. "I really, really must."

So, so strange what people did to get their exes back.

* * *

"Woodstock?" Potter asked me later that night.

Everybody had already gone to bed and I was staring blindly at the ceiling, waiting for sleep to finally claim me. I was so ready to be swept off to another, Potterless world. "Yes, Potter?"

"We really need to discuss Quidditch, you know." Potter's voice sounded stern and more focused than I have ever heard him sound in my life.

I sighed. I had been dreading this conversation ever since we had returned from the Quidditch Pitch. Honestly though, I'm really glad I'm not in Potter's team. That little prat was a honest-to-Merlin tyrant. He had the whole team run about twenty rounds around the field, before making them do fifty push ups and another twenty around the field. If I had been on that team, I would have kicked his arse to Godric's Hollow and back again. To my surprise, the team hadn't complained once and when I asked Oz about it, he informed me that this practice had been a nice and easy one. Apparently if Potter was in a foul mood, he'd make them work twice and sometimes three times as hard as that. I mean come on, twenty rounds? Around that field? Do you have any idea how huge that thing is? Their warming up took up the better part of an hour! But anyway, it turns out the team really doesn't like me. Because who usually turns Potter's mood foul? Yes. If you guessed Rosemary Woodstock, you guessed correctly.

"A lot. I can't just drop it, Woodstock. I need to be out on that field. I need to play," Potter insisted. I heard him move about in his bed and saw him lying on his side, face towards me, when I looked over.

I copied his posture and sighed. God. I really needed to get away from all of this. I was having pillow talks with Potter now. If Cassie new, she'd never let me live this through.

"Then what do you want to do? For me to ride on a broom next to you? I cannot fly, Potter. I have a terrible fear of heights and you really wouldn't like me screaming your ear off the whole match," I told him calmly, slowly, so he'd have plenty of time to understand what I was saying.

"I'm not asking you to fly next to me, Woodstock." I breathed a sigh of sheer relief. Thank Heavens for that. "I want you to fly on the same broom with me."

I stopped breathing altogether. He wanted me to do- "What?!" I almost screamed, but lowered my voice as soon as I saw his cautioning motions. "I can't do that. I can't." That would put me even more in Potter's personal space than I even am right now.

"It's the only logical thing to do," Potter insisted. "There's nothing else I can think of and I can't find another Seeker this late in the season."

"It's December," I hissed, "the season hasn't even properly begun."

"There's already been one match," Potter insisted. "The next isn't until February, which would give us some time to practice."

"Practice what exactly? Falling to our deaths?" I asked with rising panic.

"Relax, Woodstock." I could hear him rolling his eyes at me.

"I cannot relax when you want me to crawl on a broomstick with you. What are you? Nuts? We'll both die," I said with conviction.

Potter gave me a small smile. "No, we wouldn't. And besides I can't let you fall to your death, now can I? We'd both be in a coma, before we'd hit the ground."

"Oh, great," I answered sarcastically, "that makes me feel better. Thanks."

"You're welcome," he simply replied with a smirk.

I crossed my arms and glared at the ceiling as if it was to blame to potter's idiotic plans. "Didn't Longbottom say we couldn't play?" I muttered hopefully.

"Nope," Potter said cheerfully. "He said we would have to find a solution and now we have."

"This isn't a solution, Potter, and besides... Wouldn't I only slow you down? I wouldn't want for you to lose your match, because of me," I told him sweetly.

"You won't die," Potter reassured me, "nor will you slow me down. We've got two months to practice, Woodstock. We'll be able to do this."

"Merlin, I hate you," I snarled.

"Nah, you love me. You'll see."

Ugh. What was he even on about?


	14. The moment I drink ink

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

**_Hi y'all!_**

**I'm back and I'm once more so sorry it took me such a long time to update. It's just... I had no idea if I was going to do the big, well, thing in this chapter or the next or how I was even going to end this chapter... I've been breaking my head over this for a week and a half now and I've decided to leave the big something till next week. Instead I added some Rose Weasley and the girls being sassy (and actually kind of mean, but meh).**

**_Thank you to all of you have reviewed or are still reading this story without throwing any rotten tomatoes at me for not updating faster. You guys rock._**

**_I hope you enjoy!_**

**_As always with love,  
_**

**_Kelly_**

* * *

**13: The moment I drink ink**

I stared longingly at the Hufflepuff table, willing one of my Housemates to come and rescue me from these imbeciles. Unfortunately the only mind that felt slightly touched by my fervent prayers was Taran's. He looked up and our eyes met. He narrowed his and I just knew mine started to resemble a doe's. Please don't kill me, I'm Bambi.

Of course his Voldemort like cold stare ignored my plea and ran his fancy BMW right over me. (God, I really needed to stop making Muggle references. I had just received a letter from Ben and was just full of them.) I sighed and looked away from him and back to the boys. Oz was sitting next to me with James next to him. Irene was sitting on my other side and I noticed Fred cast Oz empty looks every now and then. Maybe he wasn't as careless as we first believed?

"I find it hard to believe Oscar and Fred aren't on speaking terms anymore. It's as strange as Gryffindors and Slytherins spontaneously hugging one another in the corridors," Irene muttered.

I have never turned my head so fast in my life and, honestly, I feared I'd suffer from some serious whiplash in the morning. "What do you mean? They seem fine to me," I said softly, trying to look innocent as I stared between Fred Weasley and Oscar Wood.

"Well, to be fair you haven't really been friends with them long enough to notice the difference. As soon as James turns his head, they look everywhere but each other and their smiles fall off their faces faster than you can say Quidditch," Irene told me, just as James started a conversation with one of his Quidditch players, who sat next to Fred and across Wood. "Watch," she whispered and just as she predicted, Oz averted his gaze as Fred played with his food.

"Huh, I never noticed," I lied in what I liked to believe was a smoothly fashion.

Irene gave me a worried smile. "I wonder what happened."

I shrugged. "Probably something silly, like a prank they couldn't agree on or something."

Irene shook her head. "You really don't like them, do you? I never really understood it."

I frowned. I had no clue what she was on about, but quickly ignored her second sentence. I doubted I wanted to know what she meant anyway. "A couple of weeks ago I would have sworn from Merlin to Morgana that I hated the lot of them, but honestly Oz is pretty cool. As is Fred. He helped me with this wicked parchment that makes it possible to communicate with Cassandra and I'm really glad he did. I doubt I could live without talking to Cassandra as long as I would have without it." I wasn't even kidding. We wrote daily during the holidays and she usually spent at least a week at my place during the Christmas holidays. We'd go absolutely mad without each other.

One time, when my father took away my owl during August, we got a very disturbing visit from Cassie's worried parents that she wouldn't leave her room unless they bribed her with chocolate cake and a letter from me, which of course was a lie because I had no way of sending my letters to her. Father banned the no communication-rule after that.

I grimaced at the punishments he came up with after that incident.

I liked it though, when people came to visit or stay over at my parents' house. They usually behaved a lot better with other people around.

"They're great," Irene acknowledged, "and you're really lucky that they care so much about you."

I scoffed at that. "I doubt any of them like me more than they let on," I said truthfully.

"Except for Oz," Irene smiled, giving the subject of our conversation a thoughtful look.

I didn't even have to try for the smile that took over my face. "He's amazing," I acknowledged.

"That he is," Irene nodded. "So how are you and James getting along?" she asked me with a smirk.

"As bad as can be expected," I sighed, rolling my eyes. "We had an actual discussion about the fact if Rivera's hair was blonde or slightly strawberry blonde. Everyone can see that that girl's hair is blonde, but no. I think he just likes to fight with me."

Irene smiled somewhat sadly. "James does that often," she agreed. "Sprout some nonsense and hoping someone will take him up on all his bullshit. He's often bored," she confided.

"Bored?" I asked her, with a raised eyebrow. How could that kid ever be bored.

"Well..." Irene bit her lip, glancing at Potter every now and then as if she was afraid he'd notice our conversation.

"Spit it out," I urged, nudging her arm.

Irene shook her head. "He's not a happy person, Rosemary. He once told me he felt..." She trailed off again and I felt like screaming. Why couldn't she just blurt it out? Was it that bad?

"That he felt?" I repeated impatiently.

"That he felt like screaming," she snapped, strangely repeating my previous thoughts. "When I asked him about it, he just shut up. He wouldn't tell me anymore, but I'm sure as hell worried about him and this might actually be good for him?" She sounded so insecure at the end of her sentence that I felt the need to hug it right out of her. Fortunately for me, I knew how to hold myself back.

"What?! Our discussions about people's hair?" I rolled my eyes. Was that boy even for real? I mean honestly, if you think about all the things we fight about... Just yesterday he told me that my blue eyes just went really bad with my brown hair. It clashes with my personality, according to him. (I mean, what even?!) I told him to fall off his broom.

Bloody twat.

"No, your fights in general," Irene whispered. "And lower your voice, for crying out loud. Does the whole Hall have to know we're talking about James Potter?"

"It's okay," Potter interrupted. "We all know, I'm the topic of almost every conversation," he said with an arrogant wink to Irene.

She flushed a bright red and I rolled my eyes. Could her crush be any more obvious? I mean, I knew from their on-off relationship that she was mad over heels for Potter and I actually felt rather bad for her. Nobody needed a crush on somebody like Potter, aka Casanova extraordinaire.

"Please, Potter, don't talk to me. I don't think my fangirl heart can take it," I said breathlessly.

Oz laughed and kissed my cheek, I ruffled his hair in reply, making Irene laugh.

"You two are seriously cute," she told us quickly, glad to have something to change the conversation to. "How did the two of you get together anyway?"

I grinned and laid my head on his shoulder for a moment. My eyes wandered again and fell on the Slytherin table. Most of the boys smirked at me or waggled their eyebrows suggestively. I made a face and looked away. By Merlin's beard, these rumours would haunt me for the rest of my life wouldn't they?

Oz must have noticed where my eyes went, because he hexed one of the prats that had made a suggestive gesture. "Asshats," he muttered darkly and I gave him a small smile.

"You're awesome," I told him softly and this wasn't about getting Taran back. Or making Fred Weasley jealous. This wasn't at all about pretending to be anything else than myself.

And I, Rosemary Kendal Woodstock, thought Oscar Wood was one awesome fellow.

It's strange how fast the way you see a person can change. If you had told me two months ago that I'd be this close to one of Potter's minions, I would have laughed till I died. But look where I'm at now... It makes me wonder if there aren't any other people I've misjudged.

I looked at Potter, who was throwing his food at Weasley, while chewing with his mouth wide open. Maybe he could be rather charming, I thought seriously.

Potter shouted something, causing his food to fall right out of his mouth and on his shirt.

Yeah, okay. No.

At least I tried.

"Hey guys," my best friend greeted us, while taking a seat across from me. "Look who I found on the way here!"

Rose Weasley gave us all a friendly smile and sat down across from Irene and thus next to Cassandra.

"Does nobody know that this table is for Gryffindors?" Emmaline snarled as she passed us with her flock of eagles. Seriously though. The two girls she always hung around with - Tania and Zenia I think their names were - had these really sharp noses and were freakishly tall. When they talked to you, one of them was always circling you or standing behind you. I'm not making this up, when I say they are secretly eagles or have secretly been eagles in a past life.

"Has nobody ever told you this is not a zoo? You know, the place you and your ugly monkeys come from?"

"I've told you," I said seriously to Cassandra, "those little minions resemble eagles more than monkeys."

"They aren't that smart though," Cassandra replied thoughtfully as we both studied the gruesome twosome.

"Hm. I wonder which of their parents wanted to create a hybrid," Rose murmured. "Do you think they just randomly decided to have sex with an animal? Or do you think something went wrong during the pregnancy?"

"Everybody knows you shouldn't drink Firewhiskey when you're expecting," I nodded sympathetically.

"I hope you die in your sleep," Tweedledum said.

"Who cares what you think anyway," Tweedledee snarled.

See what I meant with those Muggle references? I need to stop.

"James, do something about it!" Emmaline whined, causing James to absentmindedly look up.

"What now, love?" he asked, giving us a full view of his chewing activities.

"Merlin, James," Rose criticized with a clear look of disgust on her face, "has aunt Ginny never taught you how to properly eat?" Merlin, I liked this girl already.

In response James just sped up his chewing, making the act that much more distasteful.

"James, honey, you know I love you, but you gotta stop that," Cassandra said with a grimace.

James winked at my best friend, causing her to immediately blush. "Only because you told me to, gorgeous."

Dear God in heaven, I thought as I stared at her pink cheeks. Was I surrounded by bloody idiots?

* * *

Today was the last day before the Christmas holidays and I had mixed feelings about going home. On one hand, I'd get to see Ben again and I doubted my parents would have as many fits as they normally would as Potter was spending the holidays with us. On the other hand, Potter was spending the holidays with us.

The headmistress had asked us to come to her office after the feast and that was exactly where we were headed now. Potter was walking behind me and I was making haste. I just wanted this over with. I prayed to every god that would listen that they had found us a cure. That I wouldn't have to take him home with me, that this was all going to end soon. I would like that.

No, scratch that, I thought as I heard Potter's off tune singing.

I would _love_ that.

We said the password and climbed the stairs. Nerves were battling an emotion that could only be described as hopeful. Hope. It had been a long time since I had felt that.

"Come in," McGonogall's voice bade us after Potter had knocked on the door.

Madame Mince was fussing with her skirts, whereas our DADA teacher, Professor Macmillan, just stared at us with a raised eyebrow. "Well come on then, move along," he muttered, when we didn't enter McGonogall's office immediately. Potter grabbed my hand and pulled me inside and closed the door behind him.

I pulled my hand away and gave him an angry look, but his eyes weren't trained on me. He was watching our teachers with rapid attention. I rolled my eyes and looked away, but saw him flex his hand that had held mine out of the corner of my eye. Well, then, I thought angrily. Nobody said he had to touch me if he found me quite that disgusting.

"Well then," McGonogall said, giving professor Macmillan a stern look. "If you'd please take a seat, we can commence."

Macmillan nodded and started when we were, indeed, both seated as the good little students we deep down were. Well, I was a good student. Potter was really good at spitting out his food and snogging girls.

Or so I heard.

I've never snogged him.

Except for that one time.

But that didn't even count.

We were kids and it was just a game.

All kids make foolish mistakes and I shouldn't be blamed for this one, right?

Right. Okay. I shook my head at my little mental breakdown I had been having, while everyone was smiling kindly at one another, and tried to keep my attention where it belonged; with my freedom.

"Madame Mince and I have been working rather hard at a solution for your little situation and even consulted experts at the Ministry and St. Mungo's. We are now quite confident that this potion," Madame Mince showed us two small bottles with liquid so dark that I was positive it was mere ink, "will now make sure you won't be bothered with heavy headaches when parted too far from one another."

"This isn't a cure?" My hopes and dreams washed down the gutter along with my dignity and pride. I would beg and cry all they wanted if it would rid me off Potter. I would plead mercy in front of the whole school if they wanted me to, just, please. Make it stop. Surely prisoners of Azkaban didn't suffer as much as I did?

"No, dear," Madame Mince said gently.

"Mr. Potter, I suggest you put that back where you found it," McGonogall announced sternly, giving Potter a look that would put my mother to shame. Potter grinned mischievously as he put the photograph back on the professor's desk. "Sorry, professor," he said with a wink.

I stared at him dumbfounded, until I came back to my senses and smacked his arm. I couldn't believe he was trying to flirt with our freaking Headmistress. "You're incorrigible," I muttered darkly.

"You love me, sweetheart," he said in the most irritating singsong voice known to man.

I simply rolled my eyes and held out my hand to one of the potions Madame Mince was still clutching to her chest. "Alright, let's have it," I sighed, still bummed that this wouldn't cure my little case of insanity.

Madame Mince pursed her lips at my impoliteness, but handed over the bottles anyway.

I gave Potter one and stared with open disgust at mine.

Potter grimaced as he looked at the content. "Merlin," he breathed.

I opened the bottle and closed my eyes. I tried to drink the whole potion in one smooth move, but as soon as the liquid touched my tongue I felt the insane need to gag. I opened my eyes, but all three professors urged me to continue drinking.

I flicked my eyes toward Potter and saw that he was having about as much fun as I had. The liquid felt thick and slimy. It felt the way I imagined drinking oil would feel like and I prayed that I would never have to drink one of these ever again.

When I finished my refreshing drink - please, notice the heavy sarcasm - I felt like throwing up the whole bloody thing. "Keep it down," Macmillan warned me, "or you'll just have to down the potion again."

Potter turned toward me and he looked as if he had gone to the otherside and returned. He was so pale that I felt like giving him a shot of Firewhiskey. His eyes were bloodshot and I saw him blink rapidly. I wanted to get up and make sure he was okay, although I really didn't know why I even _cared_ that he was, but immediately sat down again. Well, I guess that's not the most accurate description. It's more like I fell down in my seat, as if a force larger than myself pulled me back down into my chair.

I felt awful. Goosebumps appeared on my arms and a shiver rand down my spine. I sweated like a pig and felt like dying. Maybe dying would be a mercy. I tried blinking to keep my eyes open, but against my will they fell closed.

"Oh dear," I heard McGonogall mutter.

"That wasn't supposed to happen," Macmillan agreed.

"Wait, wait," Madame Mince hastily said. I could hear them moving around and was about to try and speak, when liquid touched my mouth. My head was pulled back and liquid, warm and divine touched my tongue. I was told to swallow it, quickly, but I didn't need that kind of encouragement. After that dreadful potion this felt like heaven and when I finished it, I felt a lot better. Reborn, really.

I opened my eyes again and saw McGonogall and Madame Mince doing the same with Potter. When he was up again as well, they went back to their original places and studied us seriously.

"How are you feeling?" Madame Mince asked, feeling up my forehead as she had been the only one to remain at our side of the room.

I shrugged. "I felt better than before. After that potion, I felt like... I can't really describe it."

"Like I was about to fall into a deep sleep," Potter offered. "I felt like I had gone through several Cruciatus curses at the same time."

I nodded. That was exactly how I had felt.

McGonogall pursed her lips as she studied us both thoroughly through her tiny glasses. "Well," she said softly, "Miss Woodstock would you kindly leave the room, please?"

"I," I started unsure and gave Potter a look. He didn't seem all that convinced that that was the brightest idea either. "I don't know..."

"Don't be such a baby," Macmillan muttered, pulling me out of my seat and pushing me towards the door. "What's the worst that could happen?"

I closed my eyes, waiting for the huge headaches to attack my brain, but nothing happened. Oh, awesome, I thought as I stared at Potter from the threshold of McGonogall's office. If we had done this a couple of minutes ago, I'd be writhing on the floor right now. I grinned at Potter and he even gave me a thumbs up. This was great. I started for the stairs confidently, but dropped on my knees at the third step. The headache came immediately and in full force. I tried to crawl back to Potter, but failed since all my limbs decided to stop working. The last thing I remembered before I lost consciousness was somebody grabbing my arm to keep me from falling down the stairs.


	15. The moment I kissed a certain Gryffindor

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

**_Hi everybody!  
_**

**_Thank you so much for your reviews and to the new followers; WELCOME AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR STAY!  
_**

**_I have a couple of issues with this chapter. It was a rather hard filler to write and I actually wanted to put a lot more in this chapter, but I felt like you guys had been waiting long enough. So this chapter is really just one scene and I'm really sorry for it. Nothing much happens and I know how annoying that is when reading a story. But anyway, I hope you still enjoy it and on the brighter side? I've got a long weekend ahead of me, so I can write ahead! _**

**_I'm gonna try and update again by Friday, so wish me luck guys! I've got a big surprise for you all and I can't wait to hear what you think!_**

**_OZ LOVERS YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS CHAPTER! _**

**_Enjoy!_**

**_As always with love,  
_**

**_Kelly_**

* * *

**14: The moment I kissed a certain Gryffindor**

"Promise you'll write," Cassandra told me sternly as she pulled her trunk off the train. "I need at least one letter a day. One a day," she repeated and I mutely nodded in agreement. I figured I'd probably be writing my laments to her the moment I got home, so it wasn't like writing one letter each day was going to be an issue.

"Please come over on Christmas," I pleaded with my best puppy eyes as Potter manly said goodbye to his friends by clapping them on their backs. Oz laughed as Potter said his goodbyes.

"I will," Cassandra promised and gave me a shaky smile. "Oh, come on," she said as she saw that my eyes had slowly started to fill with tears. "You know it won't be as bad," she whispered, as she pulled me close in a hug. "Potter's there now."

"My knight in shining armour," I muttered sarcastically into her shoulder.

"You know," she said, a slightly annoyed lilt to her voice, "he could be if you'd just let him."

"Yes," I acknowledged, feeling her stiffen around me, "and hell is made purely of ice."

"Good, you'll feel right at home when you go there for your stubbornness," Cassie told me, slowly letting go of me as I wipe at my eyes.

I frowned and sniffed pathetically. I couldn't believe I was crying because I had to go home. I ignored Potter's eyes on me and only focused on my best friend who had nothing but sympathy and love in her facial expression. "How do you figure that?"

"Cause your heart is made of ice," she winked and gave me another quick hug. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

I raised an eyebrow at that."Sure, sweetheart," I told her soothingly.

Cassandra shook her head and gave me a quick kiss on my left cheek, before she turned around and thudded over to her parents. I waved meekly at them, well aware that her parents weren't all that fond of me. Apparently I was a bad influence on their daughter and if Cassandra was to be believed, her father cautioned her about me every other week.

I turned around and walked straight into Oscar's arms. "You be good," he whispered in my ear.

"You be strong," I told him in the same kind of voice and hugged him a little closer. I was going to miss Oscar Wood. This warm feeling I now had for Oz was about as expected as Morgana and Merlin drinking tea and laughing about Arthur's antics in Heaven. But I did feel strongly protective of this handsome boy in my arms and I wouldn't want him out of my life when given the choice.

"I'm always strong," he promised me and kissed my cheek, on the exact same spot Cassandra had kissed not a minute before.

"You know," Fred Weasley's voice drawled behind us. "I've never seen you two kiss."

I rolled my eyes at Weasley, while I felt Oscar stiffen. I turned around in Oscar's arms and refused for him to let me go by pulling his arms around my belly. I covered his hands with mine and gave Fred an angry look. "I don't like people nosing around in my personal life, Weasley."

"Well, it wasn't like you were that concerned about your privacy when you were still smooching with that leper."

"His name is Taran," I snapped at Potter, who gave me a wink.

"If you say so, dearie."

I thought steam would be coming out of my ears after that comment, but Oz intertwined his fingers with mine. If I hadn't known any better, I'd swear Potter's eyes darkened a notch.

Fred raised an eyebrow. "Well, how about it then? You're not going to be seeing each other for another week at least. Don't tell me you won't miss each other? Sometimes I wonder if the two of you are even a couple at all!" His eyes silently accused me of Merlin knew what and I secretly smiled to myself. Finally we got a rise out of Fred The Ice Prince Weasley. It was about damn time.

I rolled my eyes theatrically. "Fine," I snarled, before turning around in Oz's arms again. His eyes were wide and the panic was clear in his eyes. I felt like kicking Weasley to an inch of his life, but instead I carefully touched Oz's face. This was going to be so weird. The only person I had ever truly kissed was Taran. And, well, Potter. But I won't ever acknowledge that fiasco.

Oz slowly bent towards me and I stood on the tips of my toes. When did he become so tall?! Oscar's lips were parted, willing, but the rest of his face resembled a deer caught in the headlights a little bit too much for my liking. "Relax," I whispered against his lips, before bridging the remaining breath between our lips. As soon as our lips touched, I made sure to shove my hands in his hair and pull him closer to me.

Oz seemed to have relaxed and I felt his hands travelling up my body, to my neck where he held me. When we pulled away from each other, I smiled gently at him and gave him another hug.

"Sorry about that," Oz whispered in my ear.

"Nothing to be sorry about," I told him genuinely. Seriously, he shouldn't be sorry. Taran's kissing skills weren't even on the same planet as Oz's. Damn, that boy could kiss. I had no idea what Weasley was thinking when they broke up - well, clearly he _wasn't_ thinking - because if I had a boyfriend who could do _that_ with his mouth, I'd lock the poor wizard up in my room and never let him leave again.

When I turned around again, I saw that Potter had a look of utter confusion on his face and Weasley had already left. Oh well then. I gave Oz another kiss on his cheek, before slapping his ass. "Away with ya," I laughed.

Oz, as the fine actor he was, gave me a grin. "Easy on the good there, lass," he joked, his Scottish accent shining through again. I shooed him away laughingly and stuck out my tongue, when he saluted me.

I turned towards Potter and could just feel the awkward smile appear on my face. "So," I muttered.

"So," Potter asked, raising an eyebrow in question. "Where to next?"

I looked around, wondering where my parents were at, but instead of my parents I saw Potter's. "You wanna say hello to them?" I asked politely, nodding towards the golden family. Harry Potter looked slightly harassed and uncomfortable with all the attention his family was receiving, whereas Ginny Potter gave the reporters the evil eye. Needlessly to say, they backed off immediately. "Your mum's kind of scary," I muttered, making Potter laugh.

"That she is," he agreed. "Wait till you see my father in a rage."

I raised an eyebrow. I had always seen Mr Potter as a calm and self possessed wizard, but I guess it would be only reasonable that even those kind of people got a bit tired of Potter's shit too. "Is that so?" I asked as we moved towards our subject.

"Yup. Becomes a bit of a tosser, really."

I smiled at that. I really couldn't imagine Harry Potter as a tosser. The only people I had ever heard call him that were Slytherins, which yet again says something about James Sirius Potter's character, I guess.

"James!" Mrs Potter greeted her eldest son warmly, pulling him towards her as soon as he was within arm's reach. I hastily took a step forward so he could have his moment with his family undisturbed and looked around awkwardly. The Potters were joking around and didn't really seem to notice me at first.

"Woodstock." Albus Potter was the first one to address me. "You looking forward to the holidays?"

Ah. How to reply to that? I looked at the other Potter boy who was just as handsome as his brother, but just in a different way. Where Potter was tall and muscled, Albus Potter was smaller. More his father's height really, whereas Potter was at least a head taller than papa Potter. James Potter's eyes were a soft, warm brown and his brother's were a bright green. James Potter's ass was -

I stopped thinking altogether.

God. I didn't just go there, did I?

I felt myself blush and tried to smile at the younger Potter. I hadn't really talked to him before, since he was a year younger than us and a Gryffindor and a Potter. And we all know how I feel about Potters.

He seemed to be waiting for some kind of reply and I couldn't for the magic of Merlin remember what he had asked me. For some strange reason my mind wandered back to the awkward place it had been in before and I couldn't help but picture Potter's ass.

"Woodstock?" Potter asked me worriedly.

"Yes, it's really nice," I told Albus Potter, ignoring his brother altogether.

The younger Potter blinked a couple of times at me and then smirked. I hadn't answered that right, had I? "You okay there? I know it's hard living with my brother, but you'll get through it." He patted me comfortingly on the arm and I frowned at him.

"I - erh..." I looked to Potter for help, but he just raised his eyebrow as he waited for me to reply. "I - Well." God, why do I keep thinking about his ass? Do I have a weird ass fetish?

Mr Potter gave me a kind smile. "For Merlin's sake, Al, stop teasing the poor girl so. How are you, miss Woodstock?"

I moved back and forth on the balls of my feet, wishing to get out of there. Merlin and Morgana, this was really uncomfortable. Why did these things always happen to me? "I'm well, thank you, Mr. Potter."

"Oh, please. Call me Harry," he said, his eyes twinkling. "I left Mr. Potter at the Ministry."

I gave him a more sincere smile and wondered why Potter couldn't be more like his father. I dared a look at Mrs Potter, who was giving me the eye. Not the evil eye, per se, more like the I'm-watching-you-and-if-you-ever-hurt-my-first-bor n-I-will-go-loco-on-your-ass-look. I gave her a smile and grinned when the last addition of the Potter family joined our little gathering.

"Rose! I'm happy to have caught you, before you left with my cousin," Rose said, giving me a big hug, before her parents and younger brother closed in on us as well. "I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and I can't wait for you to join us on New Years!" I couldn't help the little frown that appeared on my face at the mention of New Years. I still wasn't completely over the fact that I wouldn't be able to watch the fireworks with Ben.

The Potters and the Weasleys were avidly talking and I was about to reply to Rose, when a flash blinded me. I felt somebody grab my hand and pull me towards him and when my vision cleared enough to look past the blue dots, I saw that it had been Potter. He gave whoever had taken a picture of us a fierce glare.

"This is a family moment, madam," Mr Potter - I mean, Harry - said warningly to the journalist. He was even polite when annoyed. Maybe he should give me lessons?

She had spiky blonde hair and fierce blue eyes. She was really skinny, so skinny in fact that I felt like buying her dinner. She was dressed fashionably and the glasses on her nose were a bright pink. She seemed like the kind of woman who wouldn't take no for an answer and who'd fight for what she wanted until she got it. I recognised her immediately. The woman before me was Anita Piper, star journalist and beloved writer of the Daily Prophet.

"Please, Anita, just give us one moment of peace," Mrs Weasley sighed. "We haven't seen our children in months now."

Anita Piper didn't at all seem impressed with the polite pleas of the Boy Who Lived and the smartest witch of her age. She gave me a look and gave me a smile so sweet, my teeth ached. "So, my dear. Are you James' girlfriend?"

Potter squeezed my hand. "I- ah - no."

Anita's eyes flickered to our hands and flashed another quick picture. "Hm. If you're certain, my dear."

"Leave her alone," Potter said, taking a step forward and pushing me behind him.

I felt my eyes widen in surprise. Since when did Potter care what happened to me? Whether I appeared in the paper or not? Why was he so protective of me?

I took a step sideways, so I could still see Piper. She had taken out a piece of parchment and had her quill at the ready. "Mrs Potter, how do you feel about your eldest and his new found bonnie lass?"

"I think that James is old enough to make his own decisions and that if your quill touches your parchment one more time, I'll snap it in half!" Mrs Potter looked absolutely livid, with her face turned red and her eyes narrowed to slits.

Harry took her hand and I saw him gently squeeze it. Mrs Potter gaze flickered towards her husband and stayed there. Her anger seemed to have just left her as soon as their eyes met. Ginny gave Harry a soft little smile, which Harry returned. It was the strangest and sweetest thing I had ever seen.

I couldn't help but wonder if that kind of love would ever happen to me.

"Well now, the public has a right to know what's going on in the life of Hogwarts most eligible bachelor!" Anita said with a nasty glint in her eyes that I didn't find comforting at all.

"Listen, lady," Albus Potter started, moving forward only to be pulled back by Lily.

"Don't, Al," she said softly. A look passed between them that I found hard to interpret, but somehow Lily got her message across because Albus nodded his agreement.

Anita Piper just watched the scene before her with a wide smile. "So," she said, giving me another look. "You're Rosemary Woodstock aren't you? Rose, dear, how do you feel about your brother dating a girl with the same name as yourself?"

Rose looked a little uncomfortable when put on the spot like that, but she held her head high anyway. "Ms Piper, Rosemary is a perfectly nice girl and she doesn't need you dragging her name through the mud."

"How do you even know my name?" I piped up, giving the strange lady a searching look.

Anita waved my question away with a rather vague answer. "I know everyone in young Mr Potter's life."

"Yeah, that's not creepy at all," Albus muttered with a roll of his eyes.

"I think it's time for you to leave," Mr Weasley stated.

Anita Piper just raised an eyebrow in answer.

Harry Potter gave a heavy sigh and shook his head in utter defeat. "Alright. James, son, we'll talk to you soon," he said, giving his eldest one last hug.

"Promise that you'll write," Mrs Potter stated, kissing Potter's forehead, much to my amusement.

I saw Hermione Weasley look at me rather curiously, but she was too busy pulling her cursing husband away from the annoying reporter to ask me questions.

I waved a bit awkwardly at them all, before Potter took my arm and led me away from the nosy journalist. "Is it always like that?" I asked him a little bit bemused.

Potter shrugged. "You get used to it. Most of them respect at least some of your privacy, but Anita Piper is the big exception. She's like a leech, really. Just keeps sucking the life out of everything."

I thought that might have been quite an unfair comparison, but held my tongue. The platform was nearly deserted now and my parents were nowhere in sight. I sighed and pulled Potter aside. "Do you know how to Apparate?" We couldn't go by floo powder for obvious reasons.

Potter gave me a nod. "Unofficially, yes," he said slowly.

"Alright, just hang on then," I simply told him as I grabbed his hand, before Apparating home. I just hoped Potter would still have all his body parts when we got there.

* * *

**EDIT: Apparently I had Rose and Lily swapped at some point! Thanks for pointing it out, so I could correct my mistake!**


	16. The moment two worlds collided

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

**_Hi y'all!  
_**

**_Welcome to the new followers! I hope you continue to like this story and I can't believe that this story has 75 follows at the moment. SEVENTY FIVE. Do you guys have any idea how insane that really is?! So thank you so much, loves 3 And if we should ever reach the 100 follows, I'm going to have a little present for you all. BECAUSE I AM JUST THIS EXCITED ABOUT THE HUGE AMOUNT OF FOLLOWS.  
_**

**_Alright. Okay. I'm good. I'm okay again._**

**_Anyway, because this chapter and the previous one were normally one big chapter, this one will still be a little short. I'm really sorry about that._**

**_On the bright side James' and Rose's relationship makes a big jump forward! Hooray! And we also get to meet Ben, a Muggle whom I deeply love._**

**_I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review!_**

**_As always with love,  
_**

**_Kelly_**

* * *

**15: The moment two worlds collided**

Thankfully both of us got to my place with all of our limbs still attached. I took a deep sigh and wondered what would be going on within those four walls that made my mother forget all about picking me up.

My house really wasn't all that special, but I thought it was rather nice. With only two bedrooms and one bathroom, the house had everything my family needed really. On the first floor we had a small, but decent kitchen, a nice and big living room and an office my father domineered when he ventured home.

I took another deep breath, before letting go of Potter's arm and walking up to the front door. I heaved my trunk on the porch, found the key in the right hiding spot and opened the door. I gave Potter an apologetic look in advance, before I carefully stepped into the house that was supposed to be my home.

I could hear my father screaming before my foot touched the ground and closed my eyes. Without a word to Potter, I put my trunk in the hallway and motioned for him to do the same. Silently and rather stealthily, if I do say so myself, we made our way to my room. I closed the door behind us and leaned against it as Potter silently took in my room. I heard a crash from downstairs and cringed.

I followed Potter's eyes over my bookcase, to my television and the couple of pictures on my desk.

"Shouldn't we greet your parents?" he finally asked me after a silence that had felt like ten seconds, but was probably more like 10 minutes in reality.

I shook my head. "Bad time to go down there," I told him with a small voice. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and, when I felt like I was well enough to move again, went to sit on my king sized bed. Potter followed suit and sat down in front of me, mirroring my position so that we both were sat with our legs crossed.

I looked up from our legs and the kindness and worry I saw in Potter's eyes, made me quickly study the wall as if it was the most fascinating thing on this planet.

"Woodstock," Potter started softly, but stopped when he noticed that my gaze was glued to the wall. I couldn't bear to see the pity in his eyes again. I didn't need his bloody pity.

"_Rose_," Potter breathed. He put his finger under my chin and made me look at him. I stopped breathing and prayed to whoever would listen that I wouldn't start crying. "Is there something you need to tell me about your family?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, is there?"

Potter gave a deep sigh, before he pulled me even closer to him. I tried to get away, not really sure what was going on, but Potter's grip was firm. "Will you just sit still for a moment?" Potter exclaimed, rather annoyed. I heard another crash from downstairs and immediately ceased. I knew I looked like a deer caught in the headlights, but I couldn't stop. I hated the fact that Potter saw me at my weakest, but it wasn't like I could hide the fact that my father was such a twat right now. It was only now, when I had stopped struggling so, that I realised where Potter's hands were. One was on my hip and the other held my arm in a strong grip.

He opened his mouth to say whatever, but I beat him to it. "My father has some anger issues," I said softly.

Potter raised an eyebrow at that. "Yes, I can hear that," he stated gently. "My question is if he-" He stopped, unsure of what to say. I knew what he wanted to ask and dreaded the fact that he actually expected an answer to this question. Potter messed up his hair with his hand, before he steadily continued with his new found courage. "Does he hit you, Woodstock?"

I inhaled sharply at the words and held my breath as I bit my lip unsurely. I didn't like talking about this and the only people that even knew what went on this house were Ben and Cassie. Ben because he lived next door and could hear the crashing and verbal bashing and Cassandra because she saw me burst into tears once. I liked to be in control and when I told people what happened at home, I was as far from being in control as I could be.

I swallowed back tears as I mulled over what I was going to say. Apparently it took a bit too long for Potter's liking, because he gently cupped my cheek with his hand. "Rosemary," he said softly, making my eyes flicker to his. "Does your father hit you or your mum?"

I grabbed his hand with mine and pulled it away from my face, but held on to it. Who knew that I would ever tell Potter such a dark secret of mine? That I would allow him to have so much control over me? I certainly didn't.

But right now, I needed him to have my back and that meant giving over the reins for a little bit. "He doesn't usually hit us," I say softly. "He just yells."

Potter squeezed my hand gently and gave me the gentlest smile I had ever seen him give anyone. His brown eyes were warm and kind and his thumb started stroking the back of my hand comfortingly. Before I knew what was even happening, he had his arms around me in a comforting hug. "He's not going to hurt you," he whispered. "No need to cry."

"I'm not crying," I muttered against his shoulder as he stroked my back. I was beyond confused as to how I ended up being comforted by James Sirius Potter. What was even happening? And why didn't I even mind all that much?

Potter pulled back a bit and wiped away the tears on my cheeks. "Yes, you are and that's okay," he whispered.

I didn't dare breathe and just gave him another hug. "Thank you for being here, James," I said softly in his ear. I felt him stiffen in my arms and heard him chuckle softly.

"You know, that's the first time you've called me James in years," he stated with a smile when I pulled back from his embrace.

I shrugged. "Don't think this makes us friends, Potter," I told him, gesturing wildly around me.

Potter's eyes twinkled as he smiled at me. "Of course not, Rosemary."

I shook my head in exasperation. I heard my father bellow my name downstairs and sighed. I stood up from the bed and heard Potter follow me to the door. "Oh and Potter?"

"Yes?"

I looked at him over my shoulder and gave him a stern look. "It's Rose. Don't call me Rosemary."

He laughed and that gave me the courage I so desperately needed to venture downstairs. What a strange world this was, I mused.

My father waited for us at the bottom of the stairs, his face reddened in anger and frustration. "When did you get home, Rosemary?" He balled his fists and I saw my mother standing in the kitchen doorway from the corner of my eye. She looked haughty in every way and if you didn't know any better, you wouldn't even guess that anything had happened only five minutes before.

"We just arrived," I told my father silently. "Dad, this is James Potter. James, this is my father," I said somewhat awkwardly. I made sure to call Potter James. I didn't want my father to treat him as an enemy, but I knew the possibility of my father being civil towards Potter was rather slim. He was, after all, a Potter and my father wasn't really all that fond of them anyway. My father gave Potter the onceover, before he narrowed his eyes.

"And what is a Potter doing in my home?" he demanded to know in his most threatening and booming voice.

I pursed my lips and wondered how to best address it, but it was Potter who answered my father.

"We had a small accident during Potions class, sir." The words he used were polite and sincere, but the tone he used them in was anything but. I could just sense the hostility coming off of him in waves.

I gave Potter a look over my shoulder that I hoped screamed 'back off'. I didn't need him as my knight in shining armour, not really. All he would do, was make it worse.

"Professor McGonogall punished us by sending us home together, Dad," I told him carefully, not daring to tell him that I was stupid enough to get cursed to Potter's side. I wasn't lying when I said my father rarely hit us, but I'm sure that statement would earn me a smack on the head faster than I could say 'ow'. "She hopes that will make us get along better," I finished lamely.

I could just feel Potter raise his eyebrows and hoped he'd keep his mouth shut.

"Did you know about this?" My father turned around to my mama, who gave him a solid nod.

"I tried to tell you earlier, honey, but you were," her eyes flickered to Potter, "busy."

My father cursed and closed his eyes, before he turned around and gave me a fierce glare. "Very well then. Welcome to our home, young Mr. Potter. Rosemary, put your trunks upstairs." I sighed in sheer relief when I realised that that was it. He wasn't going to rage on and on about being kept out of the loop. I grabbed hold of the trunk that I had purposefully left in the hallway, so my parents would know to keep their voices down as soon as they saw our trunks, and saw Potter do the same. "We're going to see Ben soon," I told my mum as soon as my father had gone to the living room.

Mama gave me a raised eyebrow in answer. "See that you're back on time, Rosemary."

I nodded to let her know I had heard her and carried my trunk upstairs. As soon as I had ditched mine in my room and Potter had put his against the wall, we left for Ben's place.

"Where are we going?" Potter asked as I closed the front door behind us.

"Next door's," I replied with a big smile. My feet had barely touched Ben's porch when his front door was thrown open and I found myself in a bear hug. Ben picked me up off the ground and turned around in circles in true Hollywood style.

I giggled and kissed his cheek when he put me down again. "Hello Ben," I greeted him, feeling instantly happier than I had the past few weeks bound to James Potter.

"Hello my little flower," Ben laughed, poking me in the side.

I giggled and jumped away from his fast fingers. "James Potter this is Ben Williams."

"And one damn awesome Muggle," Ben agreed, shaking Potter's hand with much interest. My grin widened.

Potter gave Ben a polite smile. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise. So you're the famous Potter?"

Potter raised his eyebrows and gave me a quick look, but the polite smile on his face never faded. "That would be my father," he smiled.

"Nope, I very much meant you," Ben said with a meaningful smile.

I rolled my eyes. Alrighty, time to intervene. "By Merlin's pants, Ben. Are you going to invite us inside or what?"

"Nah, I don't need magical folk in my home," he said as the big smart ass he really was and moved to close his front door on us.

I just rolled my eyes dramatically, before racing forward and pushing the door open before he could fully close it. "You're such a tosser, Williams," I laughed and gestured to Potter that he should just follow me inside.

"So what do you feel like doing?" Ben wondered as we moved to sit on his couch in the living room. "I have a billion episodes of the Big Bang Theory and The Originals for you to watch. "

"Aw yes," I breathed happily. "Klaus, baby, I'm coming."

Ben rolled his eyes and gave Potter pitying look. "I wish you strength and a lot of patience with this one."

Potter laughed. "Thanks, mate. I feel like I'm gonna need it."

I was already sat on the couch and gave Ben an exasperated look. "Ben, son, give me my Klaus or prepare to die rather painfully and slowly."

"Sheesh," Ben sighed, rolling his blue eyes at me. "Dramatic much."

"You know how much I enjoy your blond locks, Ben, but don't test me because I will cut them off."

"Is she this violent at school?" Ben asked Potter with a raised eyebrow.

"BEN," I shrieked, point towards the television. I pulled Potter down next to me and glared at Ben till he turned his television on.

"So who is this Klaus?" Potter asked and I grinned widely as Ben groaned.

"God, mate, you really shouldn't have done that," Ben whispered with a pained expression on his face that I found highly exaggerated.

I happily started explaining all there was to know about Klaus Mikaelson, my earlier problems, doubts and concerns completely forgotten.


	17. The moment I kissed James Sirius Potter

_**A/N: Obviously I did not invent this magical world of awesomeness. All credit goes to Rowling!**_

**_Hey guys,  
_**

**_I'm sorry I haven't updated all that much recently and I'm afraid that's not going to change any time soon. I really do feel guilty that I'm making you guys wait so much, but well, my exams started today and they won't end till the 19th of June. So I doubt I'll be able to write a lot and even if I do, I doubt it would be even half way decent. _**

**_I'd also like to react on a review someone left me:_**

_"You know, I've always thought rose is the way she is because of her home life but its nice to have it confirmed. Thanks for this, I love the way you write and absolutely love this story. Update soon xx"_

**_I can't tell you how glad I am that people are picking up on this! Yes, Rosemary is the way she is (stubborn, controlling and slightly unstable) because of her home situation. Those personality traits will be even more emphasized in the following chapters, because Rose will feel like all control is being taken away from her. Why that is, I'm not going to spill yet :P By noticing this you couldn't have given me a bigger compliment on my writing, so thank you so much!_**

**_This chapter was really difficult to write and now that I'm reflecting back on the last chapters I've written, I've realised that most chapters are getting harder and harder to write. I just hope that is because of everything that I need to take in consideration and all the characters that will be further developed. Please, don't let it be a writer's block. Keep the writer's block far, far, FAR away from me! -prayer circle-  
Anyway what I wanted to say is that this chapter escalated rather quickly. I wasn't planning on this happening yet till the following chapter, so it all feels kind of rushed to me. I might rewrite it all at some point...  
_**

**_I hope you enjoy and, as always, with love,_**

**_Kelly_**

* * *

**16: The moment I kissed James Sirius Potter**

Breakfast the next day was a horrible idea, really. We should have skipped it, especially when my dad started shouting at my mum and threw a plate against the wall to emphasize his displeasure.

I cringed and stared at my own plate as my father went on and on about how it was unacceptable that my mother had cooked him only one egg. My father usually wasn't that unreasonable, I swear, but it seems that the presence of James Potter was keeping him on his toes. And, well, I knew what happened to my father when he was kept on his toes. He exploded and consumed everything in his way like a tornado, leaving us all destroyed and defeated.

"Please, Trevor, I'll make you more eggs," my mother said, trying to sound stern but missing the mark completely. Her eyes were wide and she bit her lower lip. I just knew that we all had to take care of the next words that left our mouths.

Potter gave the scene before him a shocked and worried look. I knew he shot glances my way every now and then, but I refused to acknowledge him. I really couldn't handle another James Potter fiasco when I was still dealing with my family one.

"You don't have to, if you don't want to, woman," my father shouted, narrowing his eyes in sudden thought. "Are you suggesting I cannot make my own eggs?"

I sighed. There was no reasoning with him in this state. I stared blindly ahead and desperately tried not to cringe when another plate met the wall in a harsh confrontation.

"Your eggs are delicious, Trevor," my mother meekly said. "I simply wish to make you more eggs, sweetheart." Her voice seemed to soothe him a little, since he sat back in his chair and stared at her for a moment.

"Very well then. Two more eggs, if you please, love."

It was the scariest thing to behold really. My father could go from raging tyrant to puppy sweet in two seconds flat. You never knew when his mood would strike again, nor when it would stop. It was something I had learned to live with and it was certainly something I hoped to escape as soon as I was physically able to.

"Are you-" Potter started, but stopped when I quickly kicked him hard against the shins. I gave him one firm shake of my head and he raised his eyebrows at me.

"Am I what, James?" my father asked, narrowing his eyes already.

"I was just wondering if you were a big fan of Puddlemere, sir." Potter's tone was anything but polite, but since his words were my father probably decided to let it slide. Of course Potter would use Quidditch as a back-up topic. Typical.

"I am not. That team is hardly worth my time, boy. I'm much more of a Holyhead Harpies fan," my father said with a condescending tone.

I rolled my eyes. Yeah, sure, dad, I thought uneasily, already knowing where this was going.

"My mother played for that team," Potter piped up enthusiastically, probably glad to steer the subject away from my father's fits.

My father smiled. "I am well aware. The team has certainly picked up its slack since then," my father allowed.

I knew my father wasn't even a fan of that team. I mean, as if my father would ever consider an all girls team as his favourite team. I mentally rolled my eyes at myself for letting them get this far with their conversation. I glanced at Potter and saw that he looked absolutely shocked to his core. I doubt many people insulted his family the way my father just had. I stared at my father and bit my lip. He was just trying to get a raise out of Potter and I wasn't going to stand for it.

"Excuse us, father, we have a lot of homework to get to," I said politely, before carefully making my way through the shattered plates. I heard Potter excuse himself to both my mother and my father, before following me upstairs.

We didn't speak again until I was sitting on my bed and Potter was leaning against the wall across from it. "We're not going to talk about that, are we?" Potter asked, nodding his head toward the door.

I looked out of the window. I wished I had the nerve to go back downstairs and talk to Ben. "No, we're not."

"Woodstock," Potter started, but I gave him a firm glare.

"Oh? Back to that are we? I thought we were going to use our first names?" I asked him tartly.

Potter sighed and sat down next to me. We had actually slept together last night, a fact I still hadn't completely gotten over. We didn't have a spare bed and I hadn't dared ask my parents for one, knowing my father would probably flip out again. So, yes. We had slept together and I had barely slept at all. I tried to sleep on the edge of the bed and fell out of it more than I could possibly count. It had been horrible and long night. I was already dreading the nights ahead of us.

"You're just trying to pick a fight with me, Rosie."

"Rosie?" I echoed. That sounded like a nickname you gave a five year old child!

He ignored it. "And it's not going to work. What happened down there was not okay and you know it."

This started to feel an awful lot like the conversation we had yesterday. "Haven't we been over this already?"

"Apparently not well enough! He lost it about a couple of eggs, Rose. Eggs."

"I know," I gritted my teeth, "I was there."

"Were you? I thought you had gone to visit Mars. You didn't stand up once for your mother or yourself!"

I gave him an empty look. I had only once tried to stand up for my mother and that had been one of the few times my father had hurt me so bad, I had cried myself to sleep. Mental abuse was just as bad as physical abuse, sometimes it was even worse. You may not show the wounds on your body, but they were there. And they sure as hell were a lot harder to heal.

Potter seemed like he wanted to shake me, but evidently decided better of it. "I can't handle this," he sighed, messing up his hair with his hand again.

"Nobody asked you to," I whispered staring at the mess he had made of his already messy hair.

Potter opened his mouth to reply, but apparently thought better of it. In the end, I just grabbed a random book from my shelves and started reading. It was a novel that was barely twenty years old, but it was already considered a classic. I had gotten it for Christmas last year from Ben, but hadn't had the chance to read it yet. Well, now was a good a time as any to read Looking For Alaska.

* * *

I was lying down in the most beautiful garden I had ever seen. I had made myself a flower necklace and was currently wearing it as I stared at the blue sky. I smiled and hummed a Whacky Witch song. I closed my eyes and couldn't help but notice the happy buzz that went through my body, all the way down to my toes. I felt so relaxed and at home in this place, more than I had the last few months anyway.

Lips touched my forehead, before trailing kisses down to my mouth. When those soft lips touched mine, I smiled against them and kissed them back. Until I realised that they didn't even feel like Taran's. Or Oz's for that matter. I opened my eyes and froze.

Why the hell was I kissing James freaking Potter? I pushed him away from me and wiped my mouth. "What the hell, Potter?" I snarled, jumping on my feet faster than you could have said "panic attack".

Potter frowned at me, as if he wasn't completely understanding the situation here.

"Why did you kiss me?" I asked him, staring down at the dumbfounded boy in the grass.

Potter raised an eyebrow slowly as he studied me. "I shouldn't have?" he said, making the statement sound more like a question.

"No! Why would I kiss you? When have we ever kissed?" I screeched. I knew I was overreacting. I swear, deep down I knew I was overreacting, but kissing Potter had always been and will always be a sore subject for me.

"Why wouldn't I kiss you?" Potter asked me, slowly getting on his feet. I took a step back from him, but he followed swiftly. We continued this dance until a tree appeared out of nowhere and I had nowhere left to go. Potter put his hands on either side of my head and moved closer till our noses almost touched. "Tell me, Rosie, why wouldn't I kiss you right now?"

My heart jumped. "Because - well - I - you- you can't!" I said weakly, staring at him wide-eyed. What was he doing? What was happening? What?

James - Merlin be damned, I meant POTTER - had this strange twinkle in his eyes that I didn't trust at all. "Why can't I?"

"Because I said so," I whispered, staring at him and willing my eyes to stay on his. I didn't want to look at his lips. I really didn't. I wasn't looking at his lips. God, why was he smiling at me? Damn it, Rose, where's your self control?! I directed my eyes back to his and saw his eyes laughing at me.

He moved a little closer to me and our noses actually touched. My heart was beating ridiculously fast and I prayed it wouldn't do any serious damage to my ribs. His lips slowly touched mine and I felt my breathing quickening. "Why are you doing this?" I whispered, not at all enjoying the feel of his lips against mine. Nope.

"Because I want to," he whispered back, before his hand cupped my cheek. I saw the determination in his eyes, before he closed them and kissed me.

* * *

I woke up, staring at the ceiling with wide eyes and a fast beating heart. My hand automatically moved to my lips and I could swear I still felt them tingle. What was _that?_ I felt James move next to me and my eyes stared at his face. He actually looked peaceful when he slept. I bit my lip and sat up in the bed. I stared blankly ahead, before cringing when I heard a crashing sound coming from downstairs. A quick look at my bedside table told me it was a little over eleven, which meant that my father had probably just gotten home and woken me up.

He had been working late every other day to finish all his work so he could spent the holidays with us. Today was supposed to have been the last day he had gone to work for the rest of the week. I heard my mother scream something at my father and the following crash wasn't far behind.

I heard James gasp as he woke up, but didn't look at him. I didn't dare look at him, fearing the weird dream would show on my face, and stared blankly at my door.

"What's happening?" Potter groaned, sleep roughening his voice.

"I don't know," I replied, but grabbed a hold of my pillow as I heard somebody racing up the stairs. I swallowed thickly, when my bedroom door crashed open and my father walked in. Rage clear in his eyes and I cringed back. He had blood on his hands and his face - Merlin, his face would probably give me nightmares for the rest of my life.

He grabbed a hold of my hair and dragged me out of bed, tossing my pillow aside as he did so. "What are you doing with that piece of scum in your bed, young lady?" he asked me, dropping me hard on the floor.

I felt the tears well up in my eyes, but blinked them away rapidly. "We don't have a spare bedroom, father," I whimpered.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

His voice was like a slap. "We don't have a spare bedroom, nor do we have a spare bed, father," I repeated, stronger this time.

"Sir," Potter started, moving out of the bed and I closed my eyes.

"Listen to me, boy, you're a guest in my home and I suggest you leave the room, before I let you see every corner of it," my father growled.

"I cannot do that, sir," Potter replied, rage making his voice tremble.

"You will show me some respect!"

Potter ignored him and looked at me with worried eyes. "Are you okay?"

I nodded.

My father raised an eyebrow. "Is that how it is then?" he wanted to know, before my cheek was suddenly on fire. I gasped and held my hand against it, staring at my father in horror. Had he just struck me? My father balled his fist and hit me again and I couldn't stop the tears any more.

The next thing I knew, I heard Potter roar something profound at my father, before my father joined me on the floor. I saw Potter hitting him, but I didn't _see _it. I knew it was happening, but it was like it was happening a thousand miles away from me. I couldn't believe he had hit me. I wasn't lying when I had told Potter my father never hit us. Usually he was all bark and no bite. Why had he hit me? What did I do?

I blinked and saw that Potter was on top of my father, still hitting him. I moved to kneel next to them and grabbed Potter's fist. "Stop," I pleaded. "Please stop hitting him."

It was as if all the rage had suddenly left him all at once. James's eyes found mine and he pulled me close to him as he stood up. "We're leaving," he told me, through clenched teeth.

I took a step back and studied him. "What?"

"We're going to my place, Rose." He grabbed my hand and led me away from my room. He only let go of my hand when we were downstairs in front of the fireplace. My mother sat on the couch, crying into her handkerchief. "Where are you going?" she asked us, voice hoarse from all the crying.

"Potter manor," James simply said, before giving me a stern look. "Don't let go of my arm," was all he said.

I gave my mother a worried look, but she didn't protest. She didn't even look at me. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I nodded and before I knew it, we had arrived at Potter manor with a loud boom.

James rushed me inside of the house and into the living room. Lily looked up from the book she'd been reading and gave a gasp of surprise. "Oh my God, Rosemary, what happened to your eye?"

I touched it briefly, but shook my head. "It was an accident."

"Like hell it was," James snarled, urging me to sit down on one of their couches.

"What happened?" I heard a new voice ask. I looked up and saw that Albus and Mrs Potter had joined the party. "I thought you were staying at Ms Woodstock's house?"

James didn't answer and I heard Mrs Potter's intake of breath when she saw my face. I really must be quite the sight, I mused. How bad was it anyway?! Before I knew it the fearsome Ginny Potter was kneeling in front of me, grabbing my knees and giving them a gentle squeeze. "Sweetheart, do you want to tell me what happened?" When it became clear to her, I wasn't going to answer, she transferred her worried look to her eldest son.

"It's not my story to tell," he grudgingly said. I knew he was angry and that he had wanted to do a lot more than hit my father.

I shook my head. "You were out of line hitting him," I told James softly.

He whipped his head towards me so fast, I knew it couldn't have been all that healthy. "Excuse me? The madman hit you. He hit you, when you told me he wouldn't ever lay a hand on you!"

Well, I thought mutely, I had never said _that_. "Did you have to beat him to a pulp, James?"

The use of his first name seemed to soften him a bit. "He's still alive, isn't he?"

I shook my head at that and stared at Mrs Potter's hands on my knees.

"Isn't anybody going to tell me what happened? Who hit you?"

"Her father." To my surprise it hadn't been James that answered, but Lily.

I gave her a sharp look and she shrugged. "I thought it was just a rumour though."

There was a rumour going around about my family? I shook my head with a sigh, it didn't even matter, really.

Mrs Potter, wisely, didn't say anything. She just squeezed my knees one more time, before standing up. "I would heal your eye and cheek for you, but I'm not really all that good at healing spells. I'm sure Harry will fix you up first thing in the morning."

"Where is Dad?" James asked, frowning at my face. How strange, he seemed genuinely worried that I might be in pain for the rest of the night.

"He's still at the Ministry," Mrs Potter replied, before sighing. "I think it's better if you went to bed for now," she told me gently.

A bed sounded pretty good right now, actually. I let them lead me to James's room and sat down on his bed.

"I really should know how to do a simple healing spell," James muttered, frustrated with himself. He messed up his hair and knelt down in front of me, not unlike his mother had done only minutes before. "I'm sorry."

"I'm okay," I told him, not liking how sad my voice sounded at all. "I just-" I stopped and looked away.

James's hand gently guided my face back to his. "What is it?"

"I don't understand what set him off like that," I said as I broke down and started sobbing. I hated the fact that I was slowly breaking down and I hated the fact that Cassandra wasn't with me right now. I missed her so much and well, honestly, I really needed her. But most of all I hated the fact that I hadn't stood a chance against my father and that James Sirius Potter, my sworn nemesis, had seen me fail.

James's arms circled around me as he held me close. He didn't answer me. He just gently stroked my head and murmured soothing words that I didn't even hear. I had no idea how long I cried, but James never let me go. I fell asleep in his arms that night.


End file.
